The Return of Lorien - my version
by I.wish.I.could.be.Number.Five
Summary: 'Nine of us came to Earth when the mogadorians attacked our planet. Over the years, we've trained so we can return to Lorien and claim what is rightfully ours. Number One was killed in Malaysia. Number Two died in England. And Number Three was murdered in Kenya. I am Number Five. And I want revenge'
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Marina

The flickering fire creates threatening shadows against the trees and I peer around, trying to see if there are any unhidden threats. Not that it matters. The others could deal with any stray mogs in seconds, whilst I would just be on healing duty. Which is ok, I like being useful in that aspect but still. I wish I could be stronger and braver like the others, like Six. She is currently asleep, dead to the world. It's incredible really that she can sleep that deeply but still be completely alert when she wakes up. Probably ingrained from years on the run.

Nine groans and rolls over, knocking into John, who even still asleep, moves further away. Those two act like brothers and joke around a lot. Well Nine does, John spends too much time with Sarah, to even notice most of the time. She is currently curled up next to John, who has an arm around her, protecting her. Next to her is Ella, who is as close to the fire as possible for warmth.

We are in the middle of the woods, in Montana. It's cold and wet, but it will have to do. Six and Eight managed to put up a shelter that only protects us slightly from the rain but it's better than nothing. After the battle in Dulce, we managed to escape narrowly by stealing one of the vans. We had to ditch it at the state border and then we caught a train to the North. We decided the best way to hide was to literally stay out of sight in the woods. Stereotypical, I know, but no one has bothered us since.

Eight stirs next to me and I look down to see if he's woken up. He hasn't of course, he's just asleep, but he sleeps so restlessly you can't tell. His handsome face is scrunched up and he rolls over again. Maybe he's having another dream with Setrakus Ra, although he and Four haven't had one since our battle. I sigh when looking at him. He hasn't talked to me much since our kiss at Dulce and acts like it never happened. He thanked me about saving him but that was it. But then again none of us have been talkative the last couple of days.

Nine groans again next to me and sits up, shaking his head. He finally cut his hair a couple of days ago (probably to impress Six) and he looks a lot better. More intimidating, which pleases him a lot. He sighs and rubs his eyes. He's tired. We all are.

"What time is it?" he asks drowsily. I look down at the watch I stole a couple of days ago. Using Six's invisibility and a couple of Xitharis, we raided a shopping centre and stole as many necessary items as possible.

"4 in the morning. You can sleep for longer if you want, i'm not too tired" I replied. My legacy of night vision had been invaluable these past few nights as I'd been on watch most of the time, but the lack of sleep was starting to take a toll. I stifled a yawn.

Nine rolled his eyes and grinned. "Seriously? Be selfish and get sleep. You can't train with not enough sleep".

I shrugged and lay down. "I suppose. But it doesn't matter how much sleep i get, you and Six will still destroy me".

He laughs and nods. "Yep, but that's all part of the training process. And don't worry. I'm saving my strength for Johnny". I shake my head and close my eyes. I must be a lot more exhausted than i thought because i almost immediately fall asleep.

Xxx

When I wake up, the sun is high in the sky and shines directly on my face. The rain has stopped for now, although there are still heavy clouds in the sky. Blinking, I prop myself up on my elbows and look around. Most of the others are up, except for John and Sarah. Six sees that i'm awake and smiles teasingly.

"Ready for our session? I'm not gonna go easy on you. Gotta make up for lost time" she says. Nine is flicking sticks at her, whilst she uses telekinesis to brush them away.

"Good morning to you too" I reply, but I'm not grumpy. I smile back at her and sit all the way up, stretching. She is prepping breakfast but probably wants me to do the cooking. A lifetime of work in the convent's kitchens has kind of made me a pro.

"Ha, someone's cheerful. Hey Nine, stop for God's sake. Annoy Eight or someone else for once!" She snaps at Nine, who just rolls his eyes but stops. Eight was looking in his chest but closes it and leans back. He looks quite happy considering our current situation.

"You know he won't stop annoying you. It's in his nature to be like that" he says, whilst grinning cheekily at Nine. They get on well, too. Probably helps that Eight was almost as eager to kill mogs at Dulce and that he likes to take the piss out of Sarah and John.

"Hey! Not true. I used to be serious, like Marina!" he retorts back. I look up from cooking and look at him. Six shoves him playfully. Once again, I'm struck by how normal she can be around them.

"Marina's cooking your breakfast, so don't be mean. And please, you serious, that's like saying the mogs are clever!"

John suddenly groans and rolls over. He sits up and stretches.

"Ugh, what time is it? It's _way_ too early" he mutters whilst gently shaking Sarah awake. Her eyes flutter open and he leans down and kisses her gently. Nine makes gagging noises, whilst Six hits him. Ella giggles at that and then continues to help me.

"Marina and I had to keep watch, so don't complain about not sleeping enough" Nine says. Then changing topics immediately, as he so often does: "Hey, when's breakfast ready?"

I continue to stir the soup (which wasn't too hard to make) and don't look up. "Couple of minutes. We'd have had it by now if you'd helped and not sat there though" I answer.

"Ouch, but hey I stayed up, that counts for something". I don't bother to say that I also stayed up. The others continue to converse amongst themselves and I can't help but feel jealous and lonely. It's so easy for them; they can all fight and control their legacies. They don't feel intimidated by each other. I'm the weak outcast who depends on them for training and guidance. Noticing my expression, Ella holds my hand and smiles at me. She doesn't say anything but she doesn't have to. She understands and at the moment, that's all I need.

Xxx

Five

Rule one when hunting mogs: never assume you are better. They may be stupid but their technology is insane. Trust me, I know, I've had to break out of a couple of mog prisons in my time and even with invisibility, it wasn't easy.

Rule two: don't rush. It takes time to see where their bases are and where they hide before and after their missions. Rushing will definitely increase your chances of death.

And rule three: don't reveal yourself. Because before you know it an army of mogs will hunt you faster than you can say 'Lorien'. Which has also happened to me before.

The problem is that I'm too reckless. If a mog's in town, I hunt it, instead of running. At first, this got me into trouble and led to the most painful experience of all, my Cepan's death. We had been hiding in Rio de Janeiro; "hiding in plain sight" is how she put it. But I had been careless and when I was 11, I'd shown off how strong and fast I was to the other kids. Christina and I hadn't realised there had been a minor mog base there and one day she'd gone to get food and she had never returned. A week later, I was able to open my chest on my own. I never found her body.

I had fled from Rio and hidden in the US. I travelled everywhere, learning to survive by myself and training. I had met a man named Devdan at the beginning, when I developed my first legacy, telekinesis. But soon after I had mastered it, he disappeared. I was only 12.I haven't seen him in the three years since. Last year, I moved back to South America, but this time to Argentina. I had fit in well, with my coffee-coloured skin, black hair and dark eyes. But I had become reckless again and when an earthquake hit, I couldn't help but save an old man. And I've been running ever since.

The coffee shop door rings as customers enter. It's a group of teenage girls, all glammed up in mini-skirts and crop tops. Must be the head clique of the high school down the road. Currently, I'm in California, after the recent attack at Dulce, which must be the Garde. No one else would be that stupid or deadly. So far I haven't seen them and I doubt I'll find them that easily. They will be hidden, especially John Smith, the supposed leader of the gang.

Finding the others will be a problem. They will have a better chance of finding me now that they are teamed up and they can use their chests together. All I have is a small red stone, a communication device but one that has been bugged by the mogs. Which is utter shit.

The door rings again but this time it's an adult and two teenagers. They look like hitchhikers; they're pretty beat-up. The adult is middle-aged and stocky, whilst the two boys are skinny and medium height. All are very pale.

Immediately, I'm on my guard. One of the boys is a mog, i'm sure of it. The way he walks and talks just proves it. And who else would have such pale skin in California. But what is a mog doing with two humans? And why is a teenage mog out in the real world? Usually the soldiers are older, adults, with years of training.

I chug back the rest of my black coffee and stretch. I finger the daggers strapped onto the belt around my waist, hidden by the long zip-up hoodie I'm wearing. I also check to make sure I have my healing stone zipped up in the jacket's pockets and that I have my clip there too. It's an awesome weapon, my clip. Twist the top and it turns into a full Loric sword and is lethal for mogs. Twist it again and it becomes a hair grip. But I don't wear it; it wouldn't go with the combat boots that I worship.

The mog and his companions sit down, they haven't noticed me. I stand up and sling my bag over my shoulder. It's heavy; filled with supplies and finally after a lot of pushing, I managed to put my chest in my bag. Though it's a bit more obvious than I'd like it to be. I move towards the door, whilst using my legacy to read the mog's thoughts on me.

_God, i'm hungry... and tired...want sleep... but must find others...who's she?...looks different... just want food... and sleep._

I try not to snort. How pathetic. He can't notice a Loric when he sees one.

When I read minds, I don't get full sentences just a couple of words and a general idea of feelings. And this mog has no idea who i am, or what i can do. Never mind, I'll show him soon. But first I'll let him eat. I grin to myself as I walk out of the door. Revenge will never be sweeter. The mogs attack our children, now we'll attack theirs.


	2. Chapter 2

Hi guys!

Disclaimer - i sadly don't own the Lorien Legacies or any characters :( ...except Five :D

First, thanks soooo much for the reviews. They're really encouraging and seriously help me continue to write this. I've already written the next couple of chapters, and whilst there's some action here, there is definitely more to come. :D

Also, the pairing for definite are EightXMarina. I'm also a FourXSix favourite, but unfortunately i can't drop Sarah just yet as i think John would be too guilty to let her go, especially after Dulce. But you will see some interaction between Four and Six soon. :)

Btw, i don't live in America, so for those who do, i don't know if journey times are realistic or not, so please say if i get something wrong. Thanks :)

Anyway, on with the story! :D

Chapter 2

Six

Marina falls to the ground again, rubbing her arm. Bless her, she's covered in bruises and we've only been training for a couple of hours. But still she gets up again and takes a defence position.

"You sure, you wanna carry on? We can have a break" i ask. But she shakes her head and concentrates. I lash out at her with my fist but she twirls away using her superspeed. She's fast and misses getting hit by the basic punches and kicks; it's the hard sequences that she gets caught out on. She aims a punch to me but instead of ducking, I grab her fist and twist her arm. I pull her to me and wrap my arm around her neck and finally kick her legs out from beneath her. She falls to the floor again.

"Dammit" she mutters and sighs. I look down at her and smile in pity.

"Let's stop. We can practice with our legacies now instead" i say, not caring if she wants to carry on. She may not realise it but already she's so much better. She's stronger and she's got the hang of using her superspeed to her advantage. She'll be more of a threat in the field.

I pull her to her feet and then begin to move back to camp. She follows me. I suggested we train somewhere else, because i know she'd be embarrassed in front of the others. They themselves have been training though not to the extent Marina and I have. I enter the clearing and see the others sitting and chatting away. I roll my eyes and sit down next to John. He grins at me and Marina.

"So who won? Nine has just beaten Eight and I up, and since Six can beat him, I'm guessing you won" he says to me whilst smiling kindly at Marina. She blushes and nods.

"Obviously, she won. I didn't have a chance" she replies. Eight looks at her and then looks away again quickly. But I can tell he's still watching her out of the corner of his eye. She's doing the same. It's cute and funny at the same time. But something has clearly gone on between the two and i _have _to find out what.

"Well none of us do. Anyway, what do you guys think we should do? Clearly, we need to find Five but he ,or she, move around so much it'll be hard to catch them" says Eight.

"We have the tablet and the communication devices-" I begin

"Which have been bugged. By the mogs" Nine interrupts. I glare at him. It's one thing calling me Sweetheart but then he interrupts me.

"How did they do that? They're, like, doing everything. Hunting us, making deals with the US government, creating god-knows-what in their labs, tracking down anything that links to Lorien..." Eight complains. I nod along with him. The others look glum and then Marina perks up.

"They have a secret community" she says, excitedly. Nine snorts.

"Obviously, they have their bases but-"

This time Marina turns the table on him and interrupts. "The ordinary mogs. What do they do?" She turns to me. "You said you and Katarina were attacked by a mog, looking like a human"

I nod hesitatingly, ignoring the flash of pain that memory brings.

"Well, what did they do before that? They must have a job but one that helps the mog soldiers. I bet there are hundreds of civilian mogs surfing the web looking for any sign of us. Whilst others create scientific products to hinder us. And then they need to train the soldiers and animals, so they'll need schools and stuff. And houses to live in and look ordinary. The bases are just for intense preparation and our captivity. But they'll need something for in between, for when we are hiding and they need to fit in. There must be a huge, underground mog community in America. I bet half of Mogadore will have been emptied!"

We all stare at her amazed. She's right and it's so completely obvious that it's embarrassing. How come I never thought of that when I was on the run!

"Um, wow Marina. If that's the case then we have more to worry about than we thought" Nine mutters, kicking a stick into the fire. Eight grins at Marina and gives her a high-five, the first outright show of true friendship I've seen him show her since Dulce. Something has definitely happened there.

"Nice thinking. But still it's not great for us. And on top of that we have to worry about getting Five, saving Sam, oh and also resurrecting Lorien!" he says, becoming serious at the end. We all stare glumly into the fire. Sarah sighs and leans her head on John. I feel a flash of jealousy course through me. I know I shouldn't feel that way but I can't help it. Clearly, my feelings for John have not disappeared; in fact they seem to have become worse since our separation. I run a hand through my hair and grimace. I really need a shower. I'm not the only one because I see Ella also fiddling with her hair.

"Well, we need a plan and I suggest we go to Chicago; to my safe house. It's awesome and safe and we can have as much pizza and sleep as we want" Nine says looking at us all.

Chicago? Katarina and I agreed a city was never a good idea; Mogs love them too much. But Nine seems so confident and the idea of a warm shower is so tempting, I can't help but nod. John does the same.

"It _is_ pretty good. And there's a room where we can train, plus loads of internet access. Then we can really make a start at finding Five" he agrees. I see him unconsciously stroking Sarah's back and I feel that pang of jealousy again.

"Cool, let's leave tomorrow. But first let's get some more training in..." i say, grinning evilly at Marina. She groans but stands up anyway.

"Wish me luck guys" she mutters, walking back to our practice area. And as I jog away, I can't help but be thrilled that John couldn't keep his eyes off me.

Xxx

Adam

The coffee and sandwich has done me a world of good. I feel revitalised and fresh, ready to take on anything. The past few weeks since Dulce have not been easy. Malcolm and Sam had barely managed to dig me out from the ruins and rescue me, and since then I've been recovering whilst we hitchhiked to California. I'm still tired, though I feel ten times better than i did. I'm clearly not the only one who feels that way, as I see Sam sit back and smile.

He and I have got on well. We have the same geeky personality and looks. When I was unconscious in a motel for a couple of days after Dulce, Malcolm must have explained everything to him about me and my family. I can tell Sam feels sorry for me; at least he has his dad despite everything.

Sam has also told us about the others: Six, Four and Nine. He says Four is his best friend and saved him loads of times. He also clearly has a crush on Six as he blushes whenever she is mentioned. Nine, he doesn't say much about but I have the feeling he is pretty badass from what I've heard.

"So what's our plan? I know John will be looking for me, he would have been devastated that I was caught" Sam says, chewing his food.

Malcolm nods. "I think our best bet is to make ourselves known. Then they'll have to come to us. But it's very dangerous, especially since we have Adam". They both look at me, but they're not accusing.

I grimace. "Sorry. But how do we make ourselves known. I mean unless I create a seismic wave here" i mutter. Malcolm laughs and shakes his head.

"Well they took my tablet and that was my only way of finding you. What we need is a computer so i can see if any potential Garde activity has occured recently. Then we can concentrate in that area. Adam, do you think you can get my laptop, I left it in the car" he says looking at me. I understand immediately. He bought a computer a couple of days ago and is addicted to it. He's always looking for signs of the Garde, but so far we have been unsuccessful.

I nod and get up. I feel a strange sensation of being watched. I shake my head and walk outside. It's stupid i know, but ever since I saw that strange girl watching me from the corner, I can't help but feel paranoid.

The car is parked is a hidden area, in an alley, since it is a stolen vehicle. I never knew Malcolm could hotwire a car. I walk up to the car and look around. There's no one in sight but I still feel like I'm being watched. I sigh and unlock the car. It's turning dark which doesn't really help me either.

Suddenly, I'm grabbed from behind and slammed into a wall. I feel a tight grip on my throat and I can't breathe. I blindly kick my leg and feel it connect with the person who is holding me. It's the girl from the coffee shop and she's snarling as she tries to pin me back. She's doing an excellent job and I realise she must be a Loric. That's the only way someone that skinny and small can be that strong.

I knee her in the stomach but that doesn't seem to affect her at all. She's tough. Desperately, I focus on my legacy and the ground beneath us shifts. She stumbles back and with that I punch her solidly in the face. I don't care that she's an ally, she's attacking me and wants to kill me.

"I'm a friend! Trust me! One gave me this legacy! Please, let me explain!" I gasp, trying to regain my breath. She fell when I punched her but she's back up and has grabbed me again. She holds my neck in a headlock and I know she's going to kill me. She grabs my hair and is about to rip my head back, when there's a shout. We both turn our heads. It's Malcolm and Sam. Before I have time to wonder how they knew I was in trouble, the girl cries out and falls to the ground. In her back is a huge dagger.

A fully grown Mogadorian stands at the end of the alley and he's loading a gun. I'm furious. I hear Sam and Malcolm running up to help her, but all my attention is on the Mog. I raise my hands and focus my legacy on the spot he is standing on. Suddenly, a huge explosion occurs just below the Mog. He rockets up into the air and then slams down, immediately turning into dust. My strength suddenly feels as though it's been sapped and I fall to my knees. Guess using my legacy so soon after i almost died is not a good idea. I turn around, expecting to see the girl dying but instead she is sitting there calmly, all sign of a wound gone. In her hand is a small, black rock.

"Thanks, you saved my life" she says, looking at me curiously. I nod stupidly and just stare at her, waiting for her to attack again. In the back of my mind, i notice that she's quite pretty, but doesn't seem to smile much. She's dressed in a hoodie, jeans and the most awesome pair of combat boots i've ever seen. All in all, she's what I'd expect from a Loric.

"I'm Number Five. You must be Adamus" she says and holds out her hand. I glance at her, suspiciously, looking for any sign of a lie. She rolls her eyes and stands up, in a fluid motion.

"Seriously, I believe you, I can read minds; it's one of my legacies. I can understand if you don't trust me but you saved my life and I owe you one" she says. Giving up, I smile and reach for her outstretched hand. Her lips twitch in a barely-there smile and she pulls me up easily. She then looks to the other two.

"I know who you are too. Malcolm and Sam Goode. Look, I know this seems too fast since we've only just met but we've gotta get out of here. The healing stone has tired me out and we're too close to Dulce to be comfortable. Normally that mog wouldn't have stood a chance against me, but ... I don't know, I'm feeling on edge" she says, looking round, no doubt checking for more mogs . I nod and gesture towards the car.

"We have a ride and a legal driver. We'll hit the road, but I don't know where to. Do you have anything that can help us find the others?" I ask. It's crazy, i've known her for less than five minutes and yet i already trust her completely. It's a nice feeling, this feeling of safety.

"Nope, it's all been bugged. But that's a problem for another day. First we need to get out of here" she states, moving towards the car, confidently. The others follow immediately. With one last look around the alley, I walk away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies or any characters :'(**

**Hi guys!**

**Thank you all for reviewing, it's made writing the next couple of chapters a lot easier.**

**Just a couple of thing to mention. Firstly, i'm more of a shorter-chapter, quicker-updater sort of person so i'll usually update around every two days or so. Hopefully :)**

**Secondly, i know there's not a huge amount of action at the moment but i'm trying to establish relationships between the charactes, especially between Five, Adam, Sam and Malcolm. But i promise next chapter there will be some action and then after that i'm putting in as many cliffhangers as possible.**

**Ok, now that's out the way, read on... :D**

* * *

John

The backpack feels like it weighs a million tonnes and I can feel the sweat dripping down my face. Fortunately, the rain disguises it. We've been hiking for two days now to get to civilisation but I don't think we realised how lost we were. Nine's 'incredible' map-reading skills have not helped at all.

"For God's sake Nine, where are you leading us?!" Six shouts, as she slips over again. I stop and rest my hands on my knees. We're all fit and healthy but the battle at Dulce has left us all drained, and lack of proper food and sleep hasn't helped. I see Eight and Nine at the front, with Marina, Six and Ella in the middle. Since Sarah's the weakest, we're at the back.

"Patience, Sweetheart, I've got it all figured out" Nine retorts. I snort and stand up straight. Sarah looks at me and smiles sweetly. Despite the hardships she's suffered, she's still absolutely gorgeous. I am so relieved and delighted to have her back with me. I smile back and take her hand.

"Here let me take your bag, you look tired" I say and pull off her backpack. I ignore her protests and shoulder it. The extra weight isn't pleasant, but it's worth it when I see the relief in her eyes. I lean down and kiss her suddenly. Surprised she stiffens but eventually begins to kiss me back. Before I completely lose myself, I feel something hit the back of my neck. I look up to see Nine laughing and the others smiling.

"Hey, Lover Boy! Do you think you can tone it down a bit!" he yells, grinning. I roll my eyes and am about to retort, when Six storms up to Nine. She's just as intimidating as ever, and I feel my stomach tighten when I see her. I'm so conflicted by my feelings for both Sarah and Six. I love Sarah, but i can't keep my eyes off Six. Thank God i'm not developing feelings for Marina too.

"Can you please concentrate and get us the hell out of here!" Six yells in Nine's face. He looks surprised and lifts up the map. Six leans over it as well and narrows her eyes, as she tries to figure out where we're going. I catch up to Marina and Ella, with Sarah slowly following.

"Well, whilst those two are busy, you want a drink?" I ask, as I unzip my bag and pull out my bottle. Ella nods and greedily drinks from it. Marina shakes her head and pulls out her own.

"Thanks" Ella says shyly, handing the bottle back. I smile gently at her and take Sarah's hand as she catches up to us. Suddenly, Eight appears next to us. I jump slightly; i'm still not used to it but Marina and Ella clearly are.

"I think we'll be waiting a while, they can't even agree about where we are at the moment" Eight mutters, pushing his dripping hair back. Marina nods and wrings her own hair out. Somehow despite being completely soaked (like the rest of us), I appreciate for the first time how pretty she is and is probably the only one, except Sarah, who is pulling off the drowned rat look. And judging by the look on Eight's face, I'm not the only one who thinks that.

"Great. Just loving the weather" i mutter sarcastically. The others nod. Ella sighs and looks around.

"I suppose it could be worse. We could actually still be stuck at Dulce. And we're almost all together" she says. Eight nods and smiles.

"Yep, and you've developed a new legacy. How's that going by the way?" he asks. Ella's legacy of telepathy has been extremely useful. She's been trying to contact Five, but so far has been unsuccessful. But at least now we have a way of talking to them.

"It's ok. I think it depends on how well i know the person. I talk to Marina all the time, but barely reach Nine" she replies. She looks happier now for having a crucial legacy. I understand the feeling. My healing legacy has also been useful, but it's nowhere near as powerful as Marina's. I don't know if it's because it's a different kind of healing or whether she just has more practice. Probably both.

"Right guys, Nine has _finally_ realised that he is wrong and we're going the wrong way" Six announces. Like a pantomime, the rest of us groan.

"But i now know the right way and we'll be on a road by nightfall" she finishes. That's a couple of hours away but easily manageable. Then we can hitchhike or whatever.

I hoist my backpack on and join Marina and Eight. Ella and Sarah have gone ahead, because if they fall or slip we can catch them with our telekinesis.

We walk for hours on end. It's a constant mess of slipping, tripping and stumbling through the woods. Eight and BK both turned into a horse a while ago and each is now giving a ride for Sarah and Ella. This means we can go faster now, especially since Eight can teleport over horse unfriendly environment.

Next to me, Marina slips and almost falls. She's exhausted, after days of training with Six and staying up half the night in guard duty. I steady her and she smiles gratefully. Eight, as a horse, snuffles her hair and she laughs and bats him away. Even in horse form, I can tell he's grinning. He pushes against her with his powerful shoulder and she slips again. Using telekinesis, I steady her again and then push against Eight. We're all laughing as Eight slips around on the mud. Marina must be using her telekinesis to hold Ella securely because she's not falling.

Six turns around to see what's going on and scowls when she sees Eight trying not to fall.

"Nice, you guys think you could use the same energy to walk" she snaps and turns around again. I frown in confusion; Six is usually light-hearted and fun, not grumpy. I'm about to ask her what's wrong, when BK speaks to me.

_Let her have some time by herself, she's stressed._

I nod, wanting to speak to her but i know she won't talk to me. I shoulder on my backpack and continue walking.

The long day drags on.

Xxx

We finally reach a road after three more hours of walking. Cars continue to race down the road, without even slowing for us, splashing us all with water. To be honest, we can't get any more drenched at this point. Ella fell asleep a long time ago and is asleep on Nine's back, he being the only one with enough strength to carry her. BK is the only one who looks as though he has energy, as he's still trotting around in his beagle form, sniffing at trees and barking at cars. Sometimes, he acts like a real dog.

I'm so tired; I can barely see my feet. My arm is wrapped around Sarah's waist and I'm certain that's the only thing holding her up. We're in a bad state and it's not gonna get better unless we get a ride soon.

Six frowns and looks around. She's still angry but at what or who, i can't tell.

"Well i would say we hitchhike but there's no one..." she trails off as a truck slowly comes to a stop nearby. Immediately my guard goes up. The door opens and a massive guy jumps down. He's muscled and has tattoos covering his arms. He's wearing jeans and a vest, stained with grease. He comes towards us and smiles.

"You kids need a ride? You're looking lost" he says loudly. He notices Six and his grin widens, into something more predatory. I feel my hand on Sarah tightening.

"Yes please. Where you going?" Eight asks. He's noticed the guy's greedy look and steps in front of Six. Of course that means the guy notices Marina, who was slightly hidden behind Eight before. If I thought his examination of Six was gross, this really cuts it. He looks Marina up and down several times, a sick glint in his eye. She shifts uncomfortably and Eight clenches his fists so hard, his knuckles turn white. BK growls threateningly. I'm tempted to throw this guy into the woods but Nine steps forward with a clenched jaw.

"I don't care where he's going, he's got room for us and that's all that counts" he mutters. He's right for once and that's surprising. The guy's a creep but we can take him if we have to, despite our exhaustion. The man nods and holds his hand out.

"I'm Steve. We're going to Minnesota to drop some supplies" he says. I hide a grin. Minnesota's near enough to Illinois, where Chicago is. We can easily catch a freight train or drive from there. Nine's right, we've gotta ignore the guy and just accept his help.

"Awesome, that's where we need to go" I reply and shake his hand. He squeezes my hand in a bone-crushing grip and I can't help but grip tightly back. His smile tightens a little, but then he lets go and gestures towards the truck.

"We have some space in a compartment at the back. Feel free to stay there. Unless you want better company" he winks at Marina, who turns bright red, in disgust or embarrassment, i'm not sure. I'm just glad the guy doesn't seem interested in Sarah. 'And Six', some small part of me adds. Maybe he likes brunettes.

"Also, Jason and Rory are riding with us. They're like my brothers; we're real tight" he says, and i can't help but take that in a threatening way.

We get to the truck and he opens up off of the doors to a compartment. It's mostly full and we'll have to stay cramped together but it's dry and a hell of a lot warmer than outside. Also, if worse comes to worse, we can easily break down the door. I jump inside and help Sarah up. Nine is already inside and putting Ella on the floor. She's been asleep the whole time. Steve has casually slung his arm over Marina's shoulder, who is looking frozen. She doesn't do anything; I guess she doesn't want to start something. She eagerly scrambles out from under his arm and jumps in when all of us are settled. Steve chuckles and slams the door and locks it. We're immediately enveloped in darkness. A minute later the engine roars and we go on our way.

Xxx

Five

We've been on the road for a while now. After a long discussion, we've decided to go to Paradise, Ohio. According to Malcolm, there are still many useful documents hidden in his house; one's that will be vital in our battle against the mogs. I'm also aware that Sam is desperate to see his mum and prove that he's alive and well.

Malcolm drums his hands on the wheel to the beat of the song. It's an old country station, one that makes me want to hit my head on the window repeatedly but I don't. Next to him is Sam, who looks excited. Not sure why. The song currently playing saps any positive feeling that i could be experiencing. Adam is next to me, as quiet as ever.

After our first misunderstanding, Adam and I have gotten on well. I've been training him in order for him to put up a good fight against a soldier. His legacy is lethal, but you need more than that to really win against a mog. He's not naturally strong but he's fast, both physically and mentally. And intelligence is more powerful than strength in my opinion.

"So, what are the others like? Four, Six and Nine?" Adam asks. He's been desperate to find out about the others. I've been more restrained. I've waited my entire life to find them; a couple more months won't kill me.

"Awesome. John's my best friend. He came to Paradise with his Cepan..." Sam begins. I blank him out. I read Four and Six's story from Sam's mind in the first day of the journey. I don't really want to hear it again. I look outside at the desert and marvel at its harsh, barren beauty. It is an unforgiving place the desert, but yet so stunning. I tune back into the conversation after a while, realising Sam has finished talking about the others' background.

"-and Six is really deadly. Strong, fast and well trained. No one can beat her" Sam finishes off, and then sucks in a big breath. Adam's nodding along looking entranced. I scowl.

"I could beat her. I could use compulsion to persuade her not to move and then beat her" i say. It's true. Part of the legacy of mind control means i can not only read minds, i can also control them. It's called compulsion and is so useful.

"True" Sam notes. He looks outside as well and silence falls in the car for a minute. I realise i must have sounded very arrogant. After years by myself, people skills aren't my strongest point. Then Adam looks up.

"What legacies do you have, Five?" I turn defensive. We've never talked about me. Just the others, their stories and their legacies. I'm a private person and now having to share some private details scares me a bit, even though i know i can trust them.

"Telekinesis (obviously), invisibility, mind control, superstrength and element control" i reply, hesitantly. Sam sucks in a breath and looks awed.

"Those are some awesome legacies! No wonder you're so deadly!" he cries out. Then he seems to realise what he said. "Wow, way to sound like a fangirl" he mutters. I grin at him, relieved he's lightened the mood.

"Thanks. And yeah, i prefer it when you mumble on about algebra and black holes and whatever" i retort. Adam laughs and nods. Sam answers back and the two begin a conversation about the usefulness of maths in real life. I would rather listen to the song.

"Well i'm gonna get some sleep and then i can take over from you Malcolm" i say. Malcolm nods and turns down the radio. Finally. But honestly, I'm not tired; I just want my peace and quiet. After so long on the run by myself, all this company makes me feel claustrophobic.

Xxx

_"Five! For the last time, stop running away! We need to train!" my Cepan, Christina shouts. I giggle and hide under the table in our flat. The sweat is rolling down my back and my face feels hot and clammy, but i don't care. She won't find me and then i won't have to do sit-ups._

_"FIVE!" she all but screams. But she's not that angry. Yet._

_I'm 8 and we're in Rio, one of the best cities in the universe in my opinion. Yes, the shanty town smells, yes the traffic sucks but the people are kind and the general atmosphere is incredible. It's my home and if i ever had to fight for one place, it would be this one._

_I hear Christina walk into the room, swearing under her breath. Oops, maybe she's angrier than i thought. She stalks around peering into cupboards and looking under chairs. I know she'll find me and i brace myself. I see her hand grab the tablecloth and as she lifts, i make a run for it. She lunges for me and grabs me around the waist._

_"Ha! Got you! You're gonna need a better place to hide than that next time" she cries out, whilst i'm struggling in her arms. I'm making a noise that sits between giggling and screaming. She throws me onto the sofa and then begins to tickle me. I'm really ticklish and i try to get away, but i can't. She laughs and leans back, letting me escape. Although her face is serious, her eyes are dancing._

_"Seriously, though we need to train. Those mogs won't make an exception for you on your birthday" she says. I nod sadly and sit up. She sees my change of mood and smile._

_"But hey, it's your birthday and every birthday girl, gets a present" she remarks. I perk up, excited. Amused, she pulls out a small box and hands it to me. I open it and inside is a necklace with a small 5 hanging from it. It's simple but beautiful. And extremely obvious for the mogs. I laugh and look at her as if to say '_are you serious'. _She nods and clasps it around my neck._

_"So you remember who you are. You're Number Five and _they_ can never take that away from. Be proud of who you are" she say to me, solemnly. It's the first time we've been utterly serious with each other. I nod determined and then stand up._

_"So are you ready to be beaten by an eight-year old" i challenge, teasing her. She grins back and stands as well._

_"Oh you are so asking to be destroyed" she mocks and we walk towards the training room._

I wake up, disorientated. I can feel tears rolling down my cheeks and my hair sticks to the back of my neck. Adam looks at me confused, but i just shake my head, embarrassed. I don't want to look weak in front of him. I lean forwards and rest my elbows on my knees, my head in my hands. I can feel the small necklace hanging around my neck, as though taunting me. But it's not really. It's my good luck, my one piece of proof, besides my memory, that Christina existed. It's more precious than any other item i own.

Adam sees me holding onto my necklace but doesn't ask anything. He looks away out of the window, saying nothing. None of the others do and that makes me feel better. I want to be strong in front of them, not show them the lonely, sad 15 year old i really am. I want to be a warrior and someone to be feared. And i will be. One day the mogs will regret ever taking Christina and Lorien away from me. Because you know what they say, "when you have nothing to lose, you have everything to gain".

One day the mogs will lose everything but unlike them, I will make sure there are no survivors.

* * *

**So hope you enjoyed it. I just wanted to show a softer side to Five, because at times she can seem a bit emotionless. Anyway because i'm cruel and i want to keep you guys interested in my story, here is a sneak peek of a future chapter from Adam's point of view:**

"Is this all you're gonna send us?! COWARDS!" she shouts back at the last of the men, elated. I laugh again, the relief of our victorious mission coursing through me. But i should have known this wasn't the end.

Suddenly, a howl splits through the air, shortly followed by another. I know immediately what that was and i freeze, terror pounding through me. From the look of fear on Five's face, she is also aware of what they are.

We all turn around and i'm horrified to notice mog soldiers stepping out of the darkness and into our vision. They are soon joined by three pikens and a whole lot of kraul. Sam whimpers slightly and steps back, shaking. Soon we are surrounded on all sides by at least 100 mog soldiers and their 'pets'.

"Oh no, this is not good. Not good at all" Five mutters. But she's not staring at the mogs surrounding us. She's staring at something behind me. Something even worse, something dangerous enough to make her terrified out of her mind. I turn around slowly, wishing now that i had stayed behind and had listened to Five.

I freeze when i see who it is; my blood runs cold and i stop breathing. No

Standing there, smiling the cruel smile of an animal that has cornered his prey, is my father.

**So yep, like i said, there's a lot of action coming in this story and that scene in particular is one i really enjoyed writing. And yes it was cruel of me to put that up :D**

**So please review and then you will definitely see this scene in a whole lot more detail.**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies.

Hi guys,

First, thanks to everyone who has reviewed and read my story. I really love your comments and it helps me write the chapters.

A big shout out to: Kwofks12, thevariablex, aBrokenJar, GothGirl69 and Mubashir for their reviews. Also, thanks to DreamerHorse and thevariablex for making my story a favourite and EddieFreakinRay, thevariablex and xxHYSTERIAxx for following it. This chapter is for all you guys.

I'm gonna be greedy but could i possibly just have more than one review per chapter? Just so i know what you guys like and what you guys think needs improving. Thanks :D

Also, please read Four's Scars by chocolate1999. Well worth a read and a review!

Anyway, the cliffhangers begin today and there is a bit more action. Also, an insight to Five's upbringing :)

So please, please, please read, enjoy and hopefully review :)

Thanks for reading! :D

* * *

Marina

I don't know what is worse, the walk or this ride. We were all obviously half dead on the walk and completely frozen, now we're a lot warmer and we've all caught up on sleep. We've even had time to train. The actual journey time is great, it's nice to hang out with the others, joke around and sleep a lot. Even Six has loosened up.

But it's when Steve and his two minions come along that everything goes wrong. They're all the same with massive muscles, too many tattoos and a terrible smell. And they all seem to like me. A lot. On the first night, i thought Steve was teasing around, trying to make us uncomfortable and intimidated. But now i think they do like me. And not in a positive way, a sick and dangerous way, one that makes me want to run every time one of them smiles at me.

I would have thought they would go for Six, but maybe the fact she glares at them so much just puts them off. Maybe they like the weak looking ones like me.

We've been on the road for a while (i've lost track of time) and we'll be in Minnesota soon; we're on our last day with the men and then we can go. I'm so relieved that I can barely speak. I think the others notice because they're smiling more and making jokes. Well that is until the truck stops and the doors open. Steve stands there, looking pleased and excited. Instantly, i'm on guard.

"Well, we're here. Hope you guys enjoyed your ride" he says and moves away. I look confused at the others. Is that it? I thought we were going to get so much more trouble from them. John grins and stands up, pulling on his backpack. We all do the same and hop out of the back, into the fresh air. I feel better already and rejuvenated now we're free again. But we were too careless.

"Well, we'll be having our payment, kids" Steve says sweetly. I turn to him sharply. I should have known he wouldn't leave it at that. But the problem is we don't have money.

"We don't have money" Nine says flatly, repeating my thought. I notice Six shift slightly and go into fighting mode. So, they're preparing for a fight. I will myself to do the same and I move closer to the group. It's easier to fight closer together.

"Who said we wanted money?" Steve says menacingly. He points at me. "We'll have her for an hour or two, and then you can go on your way". He has barely finished when Eight is in front of me, with a huge glare on his face and a knife in his hand. I'm so surprised, I just look on stupidly.

"You touch her, you die" he snarls. I've never seen him this angry. I can't help but feel thrilled that he's this protective over me. The others look the same and Six nods fiercely. Steve just laughs.

"We thought you'd say that" he mutters. Since I was standing by the door the whole time, i thought i was safe. I was wrong. The door slams into Eight and i, as someone pushes it into us and we fall to the ground. Before the others have time to react, i'm jerked up by my hair and a gun is pressed to my throat.

"Don't move or he'll shoot her! And it would be shame to waste such a pretty face" Steve taunts, coming closer to me. He strokes my face and i bite at his fingers. He pulls them away angrily and slaps me so hard, my head whirls slightly and the left side of my face goes numb. Six, Eight, John and Nine are all at the front with furious expressions on their faces.

"Let her go" John speaks slowly and clearly "and we won't have to hurt you. Trust me; you don't want to mess with us". Steve laughs at them. My eyes lock with Six. She looks determined and angry. I suddenly remember one of our training sessions, when we practiced a certain circumstance similar to this one. A sudden flash in her eyes tells me she remembers the same. She grins at me as i prepare myself.

Using superspeed, I slam my elbow into the man's stomach. I think it is Jason. At the same time, I grab the wrist that's holding the gun and snap it. He howls and lets me go. Eight teleports next to me, grabs me and them immediately teleports me away. And that's it. John, Six and Nine are immediately on the others.

"Are you okay?" Eight's voice is tight and controlled, but underneath you can hear the fury brewing. His eyes are stormy and he looks pissed off. I nod shakily and turn to see if the others need help. They don't of course; they're having too much fun toying with the truckers. Nine is lightly dodging every punch Steve throws at him, whilst trading a few of his own, laughing the whole time. Six has another guy in a headlock and John is terrifying the third man by using his telekinesis to load a gun and point it at him. Eight raises his hand and strokes my cheek, the one that was slapped. I blush slightly and look up at him, slightly speechless.

"Does it hurt?" He asks, still furious. I shake my head, lying to him, and turn away. My feelings for him and over what just happened are overwhelming me. I can't think straight and his eyes aren't helping at all. I prefer the jokey, happy-go-lucky Eight, not this dark sinister character. He seems to sense that and relaxes slightly.

The others have successfully knocked out the truckers and thrown them into the compartment that we stayed in. Nine is still laughing and grinning like a maniac. Even Six seems happier after relieving some tension.

"That should keep them a while" Six says. She immediately comes next to me and hugs me. Eight moves away and it's only when he lets go of my hand, that i realise he was holding it the entire time.

"I could have killed them" she mutters. "I wish i did, arseholes!" she shouts the last part towards the truck. I laugh and smile at her, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"I'm fine, honestly. And i got to practice my new moves" i say, but inside i'm still shaky. Six nods and turns away, still frowning though.

We're on an abandoned stretch of road; pretty off the grid. It will take us a while to get back to the main road and then longer to walk again to a motel, but we're all rested and eager to stretch, despite our recent fight. Ella comes up to me and holds my hand securely. She looks scared at what just happened, but I know she was only concerned about me. I smile at her reassuringly and pull on my backpack. It's time for more walking.

Xxx

We've been walking for a couple of hours when we finally come across to a decent motel. The lack of money problem was solved by Nine, who revealed he stole a big wad of cash from our 'good friends' as he calls them. We've all lightened up by this point; the fresh air and exercise doing wonders for us.

The inside of the motel seems good enough; to be honest we're not that picky at the moment. The only problem is the price, which is ridiculously high for something like this but we're not in a position to complain. In the end, Nine only gets two rooms, he says he doesn't want to waste too much money.

We stand in the corridor outside the two rooms. This is the awkward bit, the bit where we all decide who to share with. To be honest, i just want to sleep and shower; i don't care who i share with.

"Why don't us girls sleep together and you three go together?" Six asks, looking around at us all. I nod, fine with that scenario. John nods and accepts a room key from Six. They don't look each other in the eye.

"Hope Johnny can last that long without Sarah" Nine laughs, whilst elbowing John. He blushes and avoids all of our eyes, except for Sarah who smiles sweetly. We all laugh and turn to go into our rooms. BK whines and rubs his head against Ella's knee but slowly follows John into the boy's room. BK sees himself as Ella's personal bodyguard and it's very sweet.

After a long, hot shower and a change of clothes, I begin to feel human again. I smirk at irony of that statement. I have a big bruise on my cheek from where i was hit, but i'm too tired to heal it now. I make a mental note to heal it later. Despite the war, i'm still a teenage girl with a crush on Eight, so i don't want to be a mess all the time. As Ella goes in to shower, i lie down on the bed and close my eyes, exhausted. I'd like to say i was tough and stayed awake, keeping watch, but i was out like a light the minute my head touched the pillow.

Xxx

Adam

There's something wrong with Five. After her dream, though i don't know what it's about, she's been quieter than usual. Which means she hasn't talked at all.

We're at a service station at the edge of Arizona; we're extremely close to New Mexico, which makes us all nervous. Five is the only one who can get away without being recognised by some spy or mog, so she's gone to get the coffee and burgers. Malcolm is stretched out next to me, asleep; though i'm sure he'll wake up for a cheeseburger.

We've been driving for at least a week and progress is slow. We still have at least five states to cross. By the look on Five's face as she gets in the car with the food, she feels the same. She hands out the food and we all greedily take it, including Malcolm, who did wake up as i predicted.

"Look, guys, i know planes are an issue because of the crazy security, but i think we're gonna have to risk it. It's gonna take too long to get to Paradise otherwise, and we need those documents. Also we need to meet up with the others and train ourselves" Five says, looking conflicted. I nod and sigh.

"I know. Do you think you can use mind control to erase suspicion from the human's minds?" i ask her. The look she gives me is hilarious; she's clearly saying "are you serious?" I nod without expecting an answer.

Malcolm sighs but nods, resigned. "A plane it is. There's an airport a couple of hours away; i spotted a sign" We all nod except for Sam, who looks amazed.

"Um, Five shouldn't you be terrified of flying? Four and Six refused to, unless they could become invisible. Five nods and looks thoughtful.

"Invisibility is how i usually travel with planes, but we can't in this situation. We're desperate. Anyway if a mog comes on board, i'll know" she taps her head and then continues. "But, and i know it sounds stupid, if we are caught, we'll be on national TV. Sam, you're officially known as an accomplice of John's _and_ Adam and i will be considered allies as well; we're both teenagers. Some people may even think that Malcolm is Henri! Then the others will see that we've joined up and will find us. Though, i hope to God we find them another way" she finishes. I nod. It makes sense, even if it is risky. And at this point, we just need to find the others; then we'll be stronger.

She starts the car and pulls out of the service station. One hand automatically goes to her neck and fiddles with something there. I can't help myself and i lean forward and ask her what it is. She looks at me through the mirror and then sighs.

"It's a 5 necklace" she pulls out the necklace and shows us "my Cepan gave it to me. I mean it can't be more obvious to a mog but still. It's like a good luck charm for me, despite everything" she says sadly. I don't want to but i need to ask what happened to her Cepan. I have to know if she trusts me completely, the way i trust her.

"What happened to your Cepan?"

She brushes her black hair back out of her face. It's a nervous habit, because she's cut her hair in a bob and it doesn't get in the way of her vision. She concentrates on the road for a couple of minutes. Sam takes her hand, reassuringly. She looks surprised, but doesn't pull away.

"We were in Rio. I was 10 and we'd been there for three years. It was heaven; the heat, the food, the language, the people...i love Rio more than i love Lorien. Nobody bothered us and we fit right in" I can tell. She has Brazilian features and colouring.

"Christina and i looked similar, so we could pass off as mother and daughter; as well as Brazilian. I think they did that on purpose, you know. Matched a Garde up with a Cepan who looked similar, so if worst comes to worst, it all works out" Once again i nod.

"Anyway, we trained in our flat. It was big enough for the two of us to train but we'd located it near the shanty town. The mogs wouldn't have a hope in hell of catching us. Or so we thought. I was 10 when the trouble began. I hadn't developed any legacies but i was stronger and faster than humans. One day, i was being bullied by a 14 year old boy who decided he was better than me. In a couple of minutes, i had taken down him and his six friends" I feel impressed. I probably couldn't beat up seven mogadorians now, even if i wanted to.

"Christina was furious, but she assumed we were safe. That the mogs would avoid Rio, because we weren't supposed to go to cities. We lay low for a while but nobody bothered us. But then, a couple of weeks later, i saw a mog. And instead of running, i hunted it. I caught it and killed it, by snapping its neck" I feel shivers go down my back at how merciless she was at just 10. It's a miracle i'm still alive.

She continues, despite the looks of sadness and fear on our faces. I don't think any of us realised just how dangerous these Loric children were. "I didn't tell Christina, i knew she'd want to leave, especially since the mog was so close to home. A couple of weeks later, the same thing happened. Another mog, another death, another lie" She stops and swallows. It's hard for her, especially when she knows she was the reason for her Cepan's death; even if she didn't know at the time.

"After three of these incidents, Christina found out. I came home, covered in ash. The last mog had put up a good fight. She immediately knew what was going on. The seven boys being beaten up must have tipped the mogs that something was off and then they sent in scouts. Each mog being sent was expected to die. Each death confirmed that i was there and i lived nearby. Anyway Christina was terrified and furious. She packed up immediately and we were going to leave in the morning. But before she left, we needed money and supplies. She went out to go to the bank. She said she'd be an hour. But she never came back. After three hours, i began to get a creeping sensation, a sensation that i was in real danger. I grabbed my bag (with my chest) and ran. A couple of minutes later, mogs ambushed the house"

Five stops and a tear slips down her cheek. She takes a swig of coffee and then begins again, her voice cracking slightly.

"I ran. As fast as i could. I knew Christina would want me to run, no matter what. So i did. A week later i could open my chest on my own" she shakes her head sadly and drinks more black coffee. She's addicted to the stuff; i don't know how she likes it.

"I was on the run until i gained my first legacy, telekinesis. Well it was probably superstrength, but i didn't realise that until later. There was this old man in Washington, Devdan, where i was at the time, and he laughed when i broke a mug with my mind. He knew immediately who i was and that i needed help mastering my legacy" she grins wryly.

"We spent eight weeks together, and when i had fully mastered telekinesis and begun to control my next legacy of element control, he left. I haven't seen him since" she sighs again. "I was all alone, once more. Anyway, skip forward a year to when i'm 13 and then it gets interesting"

I roll my eyes. She's trying to be tough again. "I was in Illinois at the time, near Chicago. Now that's what i call a city as well. There were mogs nearby for some reason; now i think i know why. I think there was another Garde there with the same idea of hiding in plain sight. Anyway, i was stupid and ended up getting caught and taken to West Virginia, to that base. But i think i helped the other Garde stay hidden by removing some suspicion. Anyway, I wasn't there long; they realised they had caught the girl from Rio and had already killed her Cepan. Therefore, they didn't have leverage on me"

Her face darkens and her grip on the steering wheel tightens. I can understand; i'll never get over One's death either. "I was there a grand total of two months before i broke out with invisibility, a legacy i developed in prison. But i saw some interesting stuff in the base and vowed that when i was stronger, i would return. I never did though. I gained mind control soon afterwards and spent _ages_ mastering that. Last year, i had a feeling the mogs were trailing me again so i did the sensible thing for once and ran. I went to Rio once more, but only for a month. I then went to Argentina and stayed in a small town. One earthquake and a headline later, i'm on the run again. And that's it" she finishes. She's holding back all her emotions, though i can tell she's glad to finally tell someone her story. Even if it is a mog and two humans.

No sooner has she finished, police sirens break the silence and begin to tail us.

* * *

So that's sort of a cliffhanger, but they will get better :)

It may seem extreme that Five killed mogs at ten, but i wanted to highlight that she's vicious and reckless and that she's really going to be battling that problem during this story.

Anyway please review!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies...yet :D

Hi guys!

Thanks so much for all your amazing reviews! They've been amazing! When i got all your reviews for chapter 4, i ,literally danced around my room for ages. Now my mum thinks i need help :D A special shout out to Teresa Argronauti who wrote such a long review and said some really flattering things so this chapter is dedicated to you. :D but still a massive thanks to everyone else who reviewed, they've really helped me get on with this story.

Secondly, i will definitely be finishing this story. I hate it when fanfics that i like begin but never finish, so i will never do that.

Thirdly, i have been very organised and have written a plan of my story until the Garde meet up. The bad news is, they meet up in around chapter 20 so you guys will have to be patient. The good news is, there's loads of action coming up :D

But the thing is, i need some more ideas for what will happen after the Garde meet up. I need some more action scenes for them all and of course for the final battle at the end :) so if anyone has any ideas, please review or PM me :)

Anyway, now that i've completely bored you all... on with the story :D

* * *

Six

I sit on the edge of the camp bed in the hotel room. Ella and Sarah are fast asleep in the double bed and Marina is sleeping in the camp bed next to me. Well she was. She's up now and getting a drink of water from the fridge. She holds out the bottle to me but i shake my head. Shrugging she places it back in the fridge and comes to sit next to me.

"Okay, spill, what's wrong?" she asks, looking at me. I sigh and look away from her eyes. She's wearing a simple black jumper, jeans and trainers but she looks really pretty. For the first time ever, i feel insecure about my own looks and i hate the feeling. To top it all off, i'm also jealous of Sarah. I can deal with that; i have feelings for John and Sarah's his girlfriend. But i don't want to feel this way about my best friend, especially after the day she's had.

"Nothing" i mumble. It even sounds stupid to me and Marina laughs quietly. She takes my hand comfortingly.

"It's John, isn't it? You like him, but don't know if he likes you. And on top of that, you're jealous of Sarah" she says gently. I look up surprised. How does she know?!

"H-How do you know?" i ask stammering slightly. She smiles gently again and shrugs.

"I'm not sure. It's just a general feeling i'm getting. But anyway, that doesn't matter. What matters is that you are upset over nothing" she replies. I look at her shocked. Over nothing?! Is she serious? This is _everything_ to me. Before i can snap back, she shakes her head.

"He likes you, a lot. Trust me. He can't keep his eyes off you. But he's confused too. Sarah's his first love and that makes it a lot more complicated. And after everything she's been through, he feels guilty at just dropping her" We're both whispering and at the same time we look towards Sarah. She_ is _beautiful and looks so peaceful, unaware of the conversation taking place that would surely break her heart.

I nod slowly "But i can't help but feel jealous. I mean this is ridiculous, we only kissed once..." I begin but Marina laughs again and interrupts me.

"You don't have to kiss someone to love them" Somehow i get the feeling she's not just talking about me. "Look i know it's hard but he loves you just as much as Sarah, he just doesn't realise it yet" she shakes her head annoyed. "But when he will, when he realises his true feelings for you, Sarah won't stand a chance. It's the way it is, we're Loric and she's not and that makes a huge difference" I look up at her. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and i smile gratefully at her. And then it turns teasing.

"Thanks. I appreciate that. But what about you? Because if i'm not wrong, something's going on between Eight and you" i ask, legitimately interested. She blushes and looks down. She's silent a little while, but then takes a deep breath and looks back up at me.

"I kissed him at Dulce, after i saved his life. He's been acting like it hasn't happened and has just been himself, you know fun, happy. But today, when you guys were attacking 'our friends'" my lips turn up in a wry smile "he was so, i don't know, different and he seemed like he really cared. Like he would do anything to protect me" She looks down, confused and this time it's me reassuring her. And really in her situation she has nothing to worry about.

"Look Eight really likes you and he knows it, but he doesn't know how to act on it. He's never had to deal with this before. To be honest, he's probably grilling John on ways to ask you out!" i say, grinning at her. And it's true. If Marina saw the amount of times Eight looked at her, saw how he completely admired her, she would be out there with him now. But he's just as shy as her, in this circumstance, so it won't get fixed that easily.

"Seriously, he adores you and you really like him! Just don't put it off; especially since your drama is so much easier than mine!" I say. She grins at me and stretches.

"Thanks Six. I'll try and remember that...Well, i'm gonna get some sleep. If you need to talk again, just say" she replies and slips into bed. Within seconds, she's asleep again.

But i'm not tired. I've wanted to talk to John desperately for a while now, and especially after this conversation. I get up and write a quick note to the others, saying i'm going out for a walk. Marina will understand.

I walk out the door and knock on the boy's door. After a couple of knocks, Eight answers it. When he sees me, he grins.

"Oh hey, thank God! Nine is soooooo annoying and now he'll start picking on you" he says chuckling. I laugh and hit his arm. I feel lighter and happier already. Walking into the room, i can't help but admire the mess they've managed to create in less than three hours. It's incredible.

Nine looks up and sees me. "Hey! Sweetheart! Missed me?" I scoff and shake my head. This, i know how to deal with.

"Nope, i actually came here to see the other two. Sorry" i say, sounding as unapologetic as possible. John laughs and smiles at me. I can't help but do the same and my stomach tightens and my heart clenches. We both blush and look away.

"So what you doing here then? Are the others ok?" Eight asks, sounding a little concerned. I raise my eyebrow at him and grin evilly.

"Marina's fine, if that's what you're asking. She's sleeping at the moment. The others, you don't really care about as much" i reply. Eight turns bright red and Nine howls with laughter. So does John.

"That's not true! I care about Ella an-" Eight protests, but i interrupt.

"Just ask Marina out already" i say grinning. Eight turns even brighter (if possible) and sits down on the bed, where they rest of us are sat.

Nine nods. "That's what we've been telling him the last hour, but he won't listen. He's stubborn" Eight just groans and puts his head in his hands. "It's not easy" I just laugh and turn away.

I'm just about to turn to Nine and suggest we start on John, when a huge exploding noise echoes throughout the motel. John looks at me in horror.

"Mogs"

xxx

Five

I curse under my breath and hit the wheel. My emotions are all over the place after I revealed my story to the others and now I feel delicate and out of control. I hate this feeling and the last thing i need right now are the cops. But still i pull over and ready myself to use my legacy. I take a deep breath, wishing i had saved some coffee. Though i doubt caffeine would help me at the moment.

I stop the car and lean back. I look at the others. Sam and Adam are pale with fear, although determined at the same time. Malcolm leans back and pretends to sleep; good ploy; makes it more believable to see a teenager driving.

The cop taps on my window, which i immediately pull down. I'm not one for obedience but right now, I can't be fussy. I put on my best innocent expression (which isn't really that great) and smile sweetly at the officer. He's middle-aged and balding, but seems nice enough. A quick examination of his mind reveals he's tired and just wants to finish his shift.

"Can i help you officer?" i ask politely. I let compulsion lace into my words and already i know that this guy will be easy to influence. I'm almost sad; where's the challenge?

He nods and points to my number plate. It's Californian and i internally groan. But fortunately, i'm quick thinking and have already thought up an excuse before he can even ask me.

"What's a Californian car doing this far away in Colorado? With a teenage girl driving?" he asks, whilst moving a hand to his gun. Sam stiffens next to me but instead i sigh and shrug at the officer. They always do that to intimidate people but it won't work on me. I increase my compulsion.

"Oh we're visiting family there. Sam's mum's new boyfriend ran off _again_ so we're going over there to comfort her. I'm just his girlfriend" i say gesturing to Sam. Since he never let go of my hand when i was story-telling, it looks pretty realistic. "And i'm driving because Malcolm became too tired. Personally, i prefer planes" i finish, and smile at him convincingly. The officer caves under the intense compulsion and he nods. Usually i wouldn't use so much, but i'm still on edge after being stabbed, having a flashback and revealing my upbringing. To be honest, i've had a tough couple of days.

"Just keep to the speed limit and drive safe. Have fun at your mums" he says, and walks off, after hitting the car door. I slowly start the car and begin to drive carefully for the next couple of minutes. There's a deadly silence in the car and then finally, Adam breaks into a relieved smile. Sam begins to laugh.

"Awesome! The guy never stood a chance! Wow, i wish i was an ass-kicking alien!" Sam shouts enthusiastically. I smirk and roll my eyes, but inside i'm elated. The adrenaline that was pumping through my veins the entire time, is wearing off and i feel relieved and light-headed. It's certainly been a distraction from my earlier feelings.

"And we have better music" i reply, turning up the music to a terrible rap station. Usually, i'm open to any music but this is terrible. But it's worth listening to when i hear Malcolm groan and shake his head. Payback for the country music and he knows it. I look at the three guys next to me and i realise i wouldn't want to be anywhere else or with anyone else. For the first time in years, i feel like i belong.

Xxx

We finally reach the airport after another couple of hours of driving. We're gonna have to ditch the van, not that i mind much, i don't tend to get attached to things or people. Growing roots means more pain later. And i'm not a masochist.

The airport is quite empty but seeing as it's quite early, i wouldn't expect much else. Malcolm booked us tickets online using one of the many bank accounts Christina created and that i still use. Getting us on the plane will be the hardest challenge, but one i will have to overcome. I have no choice.

Checking in doesn't take long, especially since we don't have any luggage, just backpacks. Adam and Sam are still nervous, but they're also excited. They like the thrill of danger, like me. I think i'm rubbing off on them. Malcolm is hard to read, even for me but i don't read his mind. I like my privacy and considering the hell he's been through for the last ten years, i respect his. Sam and Adam's minds i have no problem with reading. It entertains me.

"Passports please" the women at customs asks. Malcolm hands them to her and looking at his face, you wouldn't think anything was wrong. I analyse her mind as she does her job. My passport goes through fine; that was never the problem. So do Sam's and then Malcolm's. But that's when it all goes wrong. She swipes Adam's and i see through her mind a notice come onto the screen. He's a wanted criminal and so are his companions. The mogs still didn't fully believe he's dead and set an automatic alert for his passport. The notice on the computer will automatically send an alert to every mog base in the area, which means lots of mogs and federal agents will be here soon. I hadn't thought about that at all. I need to get us on that plane as soon as possible.

My recklessness kicking in, I grab Adam and Sam's hand and drag them away. The woman shouts but i ignore her and run for the gate. The flight will be taking off soon; i judged it so we wouldn't have to wait around here for too long. Malcolm follows us and we're soon sprinting through the airport. It's quite funny really to see us all dashing around, trying to dodge the blissfully unaware civilians.

Suddenly, i hear Malcolm cry out. A security guard has jumped him and pinned him to the floor. I turn around and grab the guy with telekinesis, throwing him into a wall. He slumps to the floor, unconscious. Now is not the time to be merciful. I pull off my backpack and shove it to Malcolm. I also pull out my Xitharis that i charged with invisibility in the car. My paranoia has paid off.

"Take this and strap it to your skin. You, Adam and Sam must get on the plane. You'll be invisible so no one will notice you. I'll join as soon as i can" i say, whilst pushing his towards our gate. "They don't know our flight so we have the advantage. GO!" i shout and push him away. He looks at me sadly, nods and then grabs Sam. Adam moves out the way and shakes his head.

"I'm staying. I'll come with Five. I'm not weak, i can help" he says, determined. I assess him and then nod. Malcolm and Sam disappear.

For now the airport is silent, but it won't be for long. There are bound to be trained, armed men running for us right now. My only hope is that our plane will go before the whole airport goes into full lockdown. Even then, though, i'll persuade the pilots to fly the plane. We had no choice; we _have_ to get to Paradise and retrieve those documents. We can't let the US get a hold of them and use it to their advantage. It's a gut feeling and in my experience, you should never ignore it.

"Well hey, at least the others will hear about this" Adam mutters, nervous. He rubs his hands together and stretches his arms, preparing. I nod and narrow my eyes in concentration.

The men are coming, i can hear them.

And we're ready for them.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies

Hi guys!

Thank you guys so much for all the reviews! They are awesome and help me write this story!

Anyway, i'm off to Germany for a week on Saturday as an exchange so i'll update twice before i go: one on thursday and one on Saturday. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait a week before i can update again after that because i don't think i have access to a computer that week and if i do, i won't have the time to update at all.

But i'll update the minute i get back!

So please read on and enjoy and maybe review?! :D

* * *

John

Six and Nine are on their feet immediately, racing for the door. Eight has teleported out into the corridor and is probably smashing down the girl's room's door, to make sure they're ok. I quickly follow and step out of the room. There's no sign of any mogs out here, so they must be outside at the moment.

Marina runs out of her room, closely tailed by Sarah and Ella. BK jumps in front of Ella and growls, at what i'm not sure. I'm so relieved to see all three girls are ok. I run up to Sarah and hold her to me, tightly.

"Mogs are outside! They blew up the parking lot!" Marina calls out. "Six, Nine, Eight and John, go outside and deal with the mogs! We'll grab the chests and our stuff" she continues.

Six and Nine have already raced down the hall towards the entrance, but i hesitate. Eight also looks conflicted, but it's about something else entirely. Seizing his courage, he leans down, kisses Marina on the lips quickly and then teleports out of there. She turns red and stumbles slightly. I can't help but grin and then i turn and follow the others.

Already there's havoc outside. Nine has grabbed his staff and is pounding mogs into oblivion. Eight is teleporting everywhere, destroying mogs without them even being aware of him and Six is unbeatable. She looks like an avenging angel as she deals death to the mogs. I can't help but think of how amazing she is. But i shake my head and look around. I must focus. There aren't that many mogs, i deduce; 50 or so. We can take them easily.

I aim my lumen towards my feet and let them catch fire. I turn into a human fireball and mogs turn to run from me. I grab a mog cannon that was on the ground and begin to shoot them. I begin to herd them into a massive group and Eight, realising what i'm doing, turns into a dragon (don't ask, it's best not to) and does the same. The mogs senseless with fear, turn and run towards the motel. But then they're trapped between us and the wall. Nine whoops with joy when he realises our plan and plows through the solid group of mogs. Six joins him and i can tell she's confident that we'll win by the look on her face. Eight (now human) and i join the others and the destruction.

Suddenly, there's a scream, a human one. I turn in horror and see Sarah being dragged away by a mog. Marina and the others had retrieved all of our stuff and were loading it into an abandoned van when she must have been grabbed. Before i can do anything, the mog pulls out a massive sword and stabs Sarah in the chest. She's not the only one ,who screams. The mog drops her onto the ground and laughs cruelly.

I know within seconds that i won't get to her quick enough; i'm not fast enough and the mogs are still attacking me. I watch in horror.

"Johnny! Leave her!" Nine shouts, as he saves me by killing a mog that would have stabbed me. I ignore him; I can't keep my eyes off Sarah. She's going to die and there's nothing i can do.

But i forgot Marina and how fast she really is. She races out from the van and runs to Sarah, so fast she's a blur. She doesn't even seem to notice the huge mog next to her with the sword in its hands. Next to me, Eight shouts her name desperately as the mog raises the sword, but it never falls. A huge bird swoops out of the sky and rips the mog to shreds with its powerful beak and talons in seconds. BK. Marina must have known he would have her back.

I breathe a sigh of relief knowing the two girls are safe, and that with Marina there, Sarah will live. I continue to kill mogs senselessly and soon, they're all dead. I drop the mog sword i held and then turn to race to the girls. Sarah is sitting up and the only sign of her recent brush with death is the stain of blood on her shirt and the hole. She frowns down at herself.

"I'm going to have to change my shirt again" she says absentmindedly. I laugh, relieved and kiss her passionately. I then pull away and just hold her to me, relieved beyond belief she's alive. I can feel myself shaking with the pure elation i'm feeling right now.

"You still look beautiful to me" i reply, ecstatic that we're all ok. I lean over to Marina, who is also kneeling and grab her hand.

"Thank you..So much. I cou- I couldn't live without her" i mutter, my voice breaking slightly. Marina smiles back at me, although there's a tightness in her smile i don't understand. The others have appeared and Eight looks like he wants to hug Marina but also tell her to never do anything so stupid again. Nine is still grinning, exhilarated but Six looks sad, for some reason. I want to ask what's wrong but something tells me she won't say what it is. She turns away towards the van.

"Come on, we need to get out of here" Nine says, helping Marina stand. She looks towards me once, still with that tight smile and then follows Six. I wonder what's going on with those two. I nod at Nine and stand up. Nine grins at me and hugs me, whilst I just stand there, surprised.

"I'm glad you're okay Sarah. I need material for my jokes" he says, messing my hair. I groan and playfully push him away. Sarah frowns though.

"What?" she asks clearly confused. Nine grins, shakes his head mysteriously and walks away. Eight follows, whistling; also playing along with Nine's 'joke'. It's not really that funny. He's gonna have to come up with better. Sarah looks at me confused and sighing, i take her hand. We amble after the others.

"He's referring to the fact that, if you died, i wouldn't be the same. I would turn serious, not the same as i am now. To how i am when you're around. And then he wouldn't be able to take the piss out of me" i admit, blushing. It sounds so cheesy and embarrassing. No wonder Nine was laughing.

Sarah laughs too and pushes me. Her eyes are sparkling and she's never looked more alive than now. It's ironic really, considering she almost just died. "Awww, aren't you sweet. I knew there was a reason i love you" she says. The wind blows slightly, and her hair plays in the breeze. I am stunned by her beauty. I think i must look quite stupid, with my mouth open, staring at her.

"I love you too" is all i can reply. Leaning down, i tilt her chin up and kiss her gently. Her lips press back eagerly but before i can really get into it, a car horn beeps. Sarah jumps slightly and pulls away.

"Johnny! We need to go now! You can do that it the car! Hurry up!" Nine shouts, from the van. I roll my eyes but walk over and climb in. Nine grins at us and cracks open a Pepsi. I don't even bother asking where he got it from.

"Right, now Johnny's _finally _finished re-enacting Romeo and Juliet, we can now leave" Nine says. Marina and Ella laugh, as i flip him off. He ignores me and starts the car. The mood in the car is light, joyful. I'm so happy i could sing (but then Nine really would start on me). But then I notice Six sitting by the window, clenching and unclenching her fists.

xxx

Adam

I'm not really sure how we managed to get into this situation. I'm currently strapped to a metal chair, in an airport in Ohio. We're in an interrogation room, which is bare of everything but a metal table and a couple of chairs. On the table is a tape recorder and a pad of paper with a pen. Two guards stand in the corner; both are heavily muscled and are holding a powerful rifle. There's also a gun strapped to their belts.

Apart from the two guards, it's just Malcolm and I. We've both been shackled with three handcuffs each, for what reason i'm not sure. It seems extreme seeing as both are us were unable to break the first pair. I've never been as physically strong as Ivan; intelligence was my strong point.

After Malcolm and Sam had run to board the plane, Five and i had stayed behind. We're weren't going to be long; just enough time to delay the main bulk of attackers. About 30 men with shotguns had appeared but Five hadn't been intimidated. In fact, she'd been a beast. She'd ripped through them with ease; flinging knives and using telekinesis to throw the men around. I suppose when you've trained your whole life for battle, you're pretty merciless. I felt pity for them, for those who faced Five instead of me. I had also managed to take down enough men, using the new techniques Five had briefly shown me, but only a quarter of what Five achieved. And i hadn't killed any.

_"Five, have you had enough fun?" i shout at her, desperate. I don't want the plane to leave without us. She turns and grins. Typical, it's the first time i've ever seen her truly happy._

_"What, you had enough already?" she mocks. But she knocks a man to the floor easily and runs up to me. Her eyes glint mischievously and she looks like she's had the time of her life. Not for the first time, i'm slightly scared of her. _

After that we ran to the gate, using invisibility of course. We had only just made it and managed to board the plane. According to Five, it was an 'anti-climax', she'd expected more of a fight from them. I didn't bother to point out that most of them had frozen from terror. Airport guards aren't trained to deal with lethal, legacy-wielding aliens. I'm beginning to think that Five will need counselling the minute she gets to Lorien, because she's not completely sane in battle. But then again, maybe it's just me; i was never one for bloodshed.

I squirm slightly in the chair, testing for any weakness. Not that i was expecting any, it's solid iron. I remember back to how we became careless coming off the plane. Malcolm and Sam had been visible; Five couldn't hold all our hands and she said they were the least obvious. She and I _had _to stay invisible after the airport incident in Colorado.

But then things had gone wrong. Malcolm and Sam were recognised anyway and were seized. I had panicked and lashed out at them, in the process letting go of Five's hand. I had become visible and guards attacked me, instantly recognising me. I had been tazered and knocked out in seconds. When i woke up, i was here in this cell and Sam and Five were nowhere to be seen. Malcolm spoke to me in a whisper and told me that she'd managed to grab Sam after i had blacked out, but not us. We've been here ever since.

The door opens and two agents enter. One is a man of around 50, with a nose that looks like it's been broken several times. The other is a woman of around 40, with red hair and a weary-looking face. She sighs and takes a seat, whilst the man stands behind her, trying to look intimidating. He strokes a mog cannon...wait a mog cannon! How does he have that?! He laughs at the look on my face and smirks. The woman ignores him and presses a button on the tape recorder. She says the time and day like any other agent would on a crime show. Then she turns to me.

"I am Special Agent Walker and this is Special Agent Purdy. Do you know why you're here?" she asks me. A couple of years ago i would have told her. I would have been obedient and tried to help myself as much as possible. That's the way mogs think; put yourself first then sometimes others. But now i'm one of the Loric (technically) and i won't say a thing.

I just look at her and she sighs.

"He won't say anything. Let's just beat it out of him. We won't kill him" Agent Purdy mutters to her. Agent Walker scowls at him and shakes her head.

"Look, Adamus, i'm trying to help you. The Mogadorians have a high price on your head. If you answer my questions, i'll shoot you, quick and easy. Trust me, you don't want what they've planned" she tells me earnestly. I just feel sorry for her. She's just trying to do her job but i'm not making it easy. I can also imagine what my dear father has planned for me. I shudder thinking about it.

Agent Purdy notices this and smirks again. "Look, Kid-"

Suddenly, he's slammed into a wall by something. He falls to the ground and groans. Stunned i look up as Sam appears and grins at me.

"Hey, Adam. Thought you might need some help" he's holding keys and comes behind Malcolm and I to free us. Meanwhile, Five has appeared and is successfully beating up the two guards. They lie on the ground, blood running down their foreheads. Her face is angry and she scowls at Agent Walker, who has jumped up and holds a gun out in front of her.

"Not another one" she mutters. Five freezes and looks to us. This woman has met the others, the Garde.

Just then Agent Purdy staggers to his feet and lunges for Five. I throw myself at him without thinking and we roll on the ground. I can feel him punch and kick me, but for once, i'm stronger. I close my hands around his neck, as his fingers claw at my face. Ignoring it, i hold my hands shut, until his eyes close and his breath evens out. He's unconscious but not dead. He'll have a terrible headache when he wakes up though.

I stand up and roll my neck, wincing at the stinging cuts on my face from where he scratched me. Five has her hand on the woman's forehead, who looks dazed. Sam comes and stands next to me and presses the healing stone against my face.

"She's reading all Walker's information about the Loric. It's powerful, but it'll tire her a lot" he mutters to me. I understand what he's saying. I'll be the lead fighter now, since Five is losing a lot of energy. Just great.

Five steps back, her face strained. Agent Walker collapses to the ground, also unconscious. Five smiles at me wearily.

"I've got it all. I'll explain in the car. Come on Sam, lead the way". He nods and opens the door. I realise they must have come in, invisible, when the two agents entered.

Together we step out into the hallway, ready for whatever they throw us.

Xxx

We're running through the woods, desperately trying to keep away from our attackers. Five swears under her breath as she tries to divert the bullets using telekinesis. I also multitask and aim my legacy at the agents' feet. I hear them scream as the ground shakes around them.

Fortunately, the woods were just outside the airport. We made for them immediately; there wasn't enough time for a car. But the cops trailing us are well-rested and armed. They can handle us. I jump over a small stream and look behind. Five is last, using everything she can to hold up the agents. Sam is slowing; he's not used to this much physical activity. Malcolm, on the other hand, is racing through the trees quickly. Clearly, Sam did not get his father's athletic ability.

Suddenly, Five cries out and falls to her knees. She's been shot in the thigh and she can't move quickly enough. I look at her desperately and run over to her. I lift her up and throw her over my shoulder; she's quite light. I turn and run away again.

"Divert the bullets" i shout at her. I can hear her mutter under her breath about how undignified this is, but she does as i ask.

But it's not enough. A sudden stream of green fire from a mog cannon hits Malcolm on the back. He's unconscious immediately and he falls to the ground, steam rising from him. Sam screams and tries to turn back, but Five grabs him with telekinesis. He struggles uselessly and stares at Malcolm, tears streaming down his face. I also feel my throat working and my eyes burn. Five shouts something to me but i don't listen. I only watch.

I'm contemplating turning around and going back for Malcolm, but i know i can't. I can't carry both Malcolm and Five; i'm not strong enough. Sam drops down on his knees by his father, having finally beaten Five's telekinesis, and is cradling Malcolm's head. I feel terrible for him. It's even worse knowing that he's still alive but we have to leave him. Then the agents will kill him for sure.

Five jumps down and even with a wound, is still pretty fast. Perks of being Loric i suppose. She runs over to Sam and heaves him to his feet. He is crying and struggling, but Five is too strong. She drags him back to me but the agents are almost on us and everything looks hopeless.

One of them has reached Malcolm and spits on him. The rage i feel then, is so powerful, so strong i want to explode.

I suddenly feel a strange burning sensation inside me and i feel power coursing through my veins. I feel as though i'm about to unleash a huge seismic wave and i grab Five and Sam's hand, so they'll be protected. Exhilarated, I release the energy.

But then something changes, the earth doesn't move, i do. My vision blurs and then suddenly everything goes black.

* * *

So a lot of mush from Sarah and John, but in the first book there was loads, so i thought it seemed accurate. Anyway, please review, despite the cringy romance.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: i don't own Lorien Legacies :(

Hi guys!

Thank you so much for reviews! They are awesome and _very_ flattering! A special shout out to 'Five' who has written me lots of lovely reviews. Thank you for saying i'm inspiring; it really made my day :) I'm really glad you guys enjoy my story and take the time to write me such nice reviews. :D

Secondly, i know Sarah lived in the last chapter which is annoying because a lot of you are Six/Four fans (including me). But 'Pittacus Lore' spent _loads _of time on her character in the first book and he bought her back for a reason. Since i'm trying to remain as true to the series as possible, she's staying. For now anyway.

But to cheer you up, there's a Four/Six moment coming up next chapter :)

So please read and review! Enjoy!

* * *

Marina

"So... most human moment" Nine calls out, as he drives down the motorway. We've been driving for a couple of hours and he must be bored. Personally, i'm feeling uncomfortable. I'm next to Six, who is glaring daggers at literally everything she sees outside the window. After John's display of love, i don't blame her. It must be awful to see the guy you love, gush over another girl.

On my other side is Eight, which is just as awkward. He hasn't said anything to me about our kiss in the hotel, but i suppose with the others around, it's a bit embarrassing. Although, that hasn't stopped John and Sarah being romantic together. They are in the back row, holding each other, which leaves Ella and BK in the front, next to Nine. Ella worships Nine; she sees him as her older brother and me as her older sister. It's comforting to know she still sees me that way. Recently, i haven't talked to her as much and i've missed her.

I rub my head, annoyed at the headache i've been suffering from for the past couple of days.

"Ummm, probably asking Sarah out" John admits, red in the face. Nine laughs at him and so does Sarah. John looks at her and they share a look as though they're both remembering the time that's making John so embarrassed. Six scowls and huffs next to me.

"And here i thought you were such a natural with the ladies" Nine jokes. John rolls his eyes whilst Sarah grins. "Anyway, for me, also asking a girl out. Maddy" his face closes off and his hands grip the wheel tighter. Ella puts her hand on his arm and smiles at him reassuringly. Nine relaxes and leans back in his seat. It's sweet to see it happen.

"Six?" he asks. For a moment, i think she'll just frown and tell him to mind his own business but then she sighs and concentrates.

"Probably, when Katarina and I were watching a film in the cinema. We were just like mother and daughter with the popcorn and the stupid rom-com. I just felt like a normal girl with her mum" she says, a look of sadness on her face. I reach out and hold her hand, squeezing it. She looks at me and smiles back sweetly. Like Ella, she is also my best friend. John's mood must have affected me; i've gone all mushy too.

"Sweet, Eight?" Nine continues. Eight rolls his eyes and thinks about it. "Probably, when i was at a market in India once. I was around 12 and there was a pretty girl behind a stall. I had to buy food, but i was so flustered when she smiled at me that i got the order wrong. In the end, i bought 20 mangoes. The girl must have thought i was mad" he says. We all laugh at his story, though i still feel a flash of jealousy when i think about him liking a girl. I hit myself mentally, he's not mine, i shouldn't think like this!

"Marina?" Nine asks me. I feel a flash of panic. When did i feel human? Thing is, i never got to experience the Cepan-Garde relationship with Adelina, so i can't relate to the human feeling of family, like the others could. I never ever fancied a guy before Eight and i am definitely not bringing that up. Also, at the orphanage, i never fit in and always felt like an outcast. I never had any friends except for Hector. I'm completely stuck on what to say and i start to blush.

"Um, i'm not sure really" i say nervously. Six nods and looks as though she's about to ask Ella her human moment. She understands that i'm uncomfortable, as she's the only one (apart from Ella) who knows my Cepan gave up on Lorien. Unfortunately, Nine is not that observant.

"Oh come on. You must have one moment. I mean what about something you and your Cepan did?" he asks. I know he means to be nice, but the thought of Adelina just brings back the feelings of pain and abandonment i always felt around her. I close off and glare at him.

"I can't think of anything, ok?" i snap at him. I don't mean to be rude and he looks surprised. The others do too, but don't push it. Ella breaks the silence.

"When i was 8, Crayton took me to a zoo. We spent the whole day looking at all the animals and at the end he bought me a lion toy. That's my most human moment" Ella says sweetly. The mood lightens and Nine's smile returns. He continues talking to her about the animals she saw and i lean my head back. I close my eyes, willing the pain in my head to disappear.

"You ok?" i turn my head and see Six is looking at me, concerned. I nod and smile.

"Headache" i reply. For the last couple of hours, it's been building up. "I just need to sleep it off" i mutter. I lean back again and let the exhaustion sweep through me and pull me away.

Xxx

When i wake up, my headache is much worse. It's agony, a constant pounding in my head. My stomach feels as though it's in knots and i feel shaky and weak. Grimacing, i lean forward and take a swig of water from my water bottle. Nine has stopped driving and Six is at the wheel instead. Ella is next to me. Everyone, except for Six, is asleep.

She's sees my face in the mirror and frowns. "Are you ok? You look terrible" she says. I shake my head. Usually, i try and downplay it but i feel horrible. Like my head is about to explode. I tell this to her and she starts to pull the car over to a lay-by.

"What are you doing?" i ask weakly. Every word takes a superhuman effort to say.

"I'm gonna look for aspirin. Maybe you have the flu" she says, stopping the car. The others don't wake up. She gets out and goes to the boot. Suddenly, the idea of fresh air is irresistible and i also get out the car. The wind immediately cools me down and i realise with a shock, i've been sweating. A huge wave of dizziness unexpectedly comes over me and i stumble. I reach out to grab the car, but my hand misses the door. I fall to the ground, as my vision doubles.

"Marina!" Six cries out. It's agony to my brain and i press my hands over my ears. I hear a mumbling of voices in my head and i press down harder. Six leans over me and says something. I can't concentrate enough to hear her and i shake my head. Suddenly, someone else is next to me. Ella. She looks terrified; i vaguely think she's concerned about me.

The pressure in my head gets worse and the voices increase. I'm barely aware that i'm shouting; what i'm saying, i'm not sure. I can feel hands on me, shaking me and trying to pull me up. All of a sudden, the pressure in my head explodes and the voices are suddenly there, loud and intruding.

_What's going on?!... Is she alright?!... Why did this have to happen now?!...Oh my God!...Why is there shouting?_

I can't think and the voices in my head get louder and more frequent. I can feel myself losing the battle against staying conscious and i eventually fall into darkness.

Xxx

Five

I open my eyes slowly at first, the light blinding me. Then everything from the past couple of days rushes through my head and i bolt upright. A fierce pain shoots through my thigh and i moan quietly. I look around the room, expecting to be tied up in a cell. But it's completely different to what i expected. It's a motel room, with a double bed and two camp beds. Adam is sitting on the edge of one, watching the news on the crappy TV. Sam is nowhere to be seen.

Wincing slightly, i lean back against the wall and inspect my leg. It must have been too late for the healing stone, because my leg is bandaged and i'm sure there are stitches underneath. I'm just relieved the bullet didn't hit a vital artery. I'm shaken up by the events from the past two weeks. Before then, i hadn't been injured by my enemies in months. But this is the second serious wound i've had in less than a month. Maybe i'm losing my touch at surviving.

Adam turns around and switches off the news. He looks grim and his eyes are sad. I remember Malcolm falling to the ground and i feel the build up of tears. This is why it's dangerous to attach yourself to someone weaker than yourself in a war; when they die, you end up hurting. I blink quickly, banishing my tears and swing my legs over the side of the bed. The pain lances through me again but i ignore it this time. Physical pain to ease the emotional pain.

Adam protests slightly but gives up when he realises i won't have it. I limp over to him and he shifts, to give me more room. Gratefully, i lower myself down, alarmed at my weakness.

"Where are we? How did we get here? And where's Sam?" i ask quietly. It seems to fit the mood more than talking in normal tones. Adam turns even graver and sighs.

"He's in the bathroom. He just wants to be alone. And we're in Ohio, an hour away from Paradise" he replies. I look at him stunned. An hour! How is that possible? I can't have been asleep for that long, could i?

Adam sees my face and frowns. He's troubled about something. "Five, when we were in the woods, i felt this power in me. It felt like i was going to release a huge seismic wave but when i released it, it went wrong. Everything went black and then we ended up 10 minutes away from here" he says, confused.

The small thought that has been bothering me for the last couple of days comes to the front of my mind. I see how confused he is and i take his hand. I've never been this comforting and i don't really like it. I like to be strong and independent, not soft and reassuring.

"Adam... when One gave you her legacy... i always wondered if she gave all of them to you, unknowingly. The ones she'd eventually develop" I say slowly. It's the only answer that seems to make sense.

He looks at me, a hopeful glint in his eye. "You think that? But then, if i did just gain a legacy, what was it and why now? Why not last week?"

This I know how to answer. "A couple of weeks after a Garde member develops their first legacy, they soon gain more. That's why you gained it a couple of weeks after your first one instead of almost immediately. And it sounds like teleportation, the ability to move from one place to another. Your anger and grief at Malcolm's death would have triggered it" i explain. At the sound of Malcolm's name, we both lapse into silence.

The bathroom door opens and Sam enters. His eyes are bloodshot and his face is paler than usual. Overwhelming sadness emits from his mind and i hastily block it out. He sits down heavily on the bed and sighs.

"So what's our plan?" he asks, his voice thick from crying. I feel a lump in my throat and i'm surprised at just how much this whole situation affects me. Maybe i'm not as detached and emotionless as i thought.

"We'll head to Paradise as soon as we can. We can still save the documents, even if we can't understand them all" Adam replies. I nod and go over to Sam. I sit down and put my arm around his shoulders. He stiffens in surprise at my touch and i remind myself to be nicer to him in the future.

"Sam...i'm so sorry. If i could have done anything, i would have but..." i don't finish. There's nothing to say. The simple truth is, i was too weak and i couldn't save Malcolm. The self-hatred i feel rises in me and i try and squash it. Pitying myself will not get us anywhere.

He breathes in shakily and puts his head on my shoulder. I realise with a start that he's crying and my grip on him tightens. Adam walks over and wraps his arms around us both. Now, i'm not sentimental but in this moment, i know that these two are my best friends and i couldn't have gotten this far without them. I will _not_ let anything happen to them, even if it costs me everything.

Xxx

The tension in the car mounts as we drive closer and closer to Paradise. I'm twitching slightly, in preparation for combat. I'm almost positive that authorities will be in this small town; why else would we come to Ohio? We're going to the place it all started, the place where the Garde began to reveal themselves.

Sam is clenching his fists and glaring out the window. It looks unnatural on his face; he's usually smiling, despite everything he's been through. But i guess the death of his father is too much for him and all he wants is revenge. I will help him get that.

We stayed in the motel a week, so that i could recover fully. I'm back at full strength; a week of sleep and lots of Chinese take-out has done wonders for me. I'm absolutely determined to get these documents, without injuring myself this time.

Whilst, i was recovering, i also trained them in combat moves. Sam had already learnt some effective but basic moves from Six and i trained them from the bed, telling them how to refine their technique. Adam is determined to build up his strength and has been doing push-ups and sit-ups every day. He's also been practicing his teleportation legacy, and whilst it's still temperamental, it's become a lot better. He is able to teleport from one to room to another with both Sam and i. But there's still a lot of work to be done.

The sign for Paradise flashed past us and i feel a grin creeping onto my face. I live for these moments, to feel the adrenalin pounding through my veins and the excitement racing through my body. Adam looks excited too but also sick with nerves. I understand the feeling; it's hard not to be nervous when preparing for a fight. I slowly pull the car over and turn around to look at the others. We've bought my chest with us; it's too valuable to leave unattended. Sam will be on official Chest guarding duty, whilst Adam collects the documents and I fight the mogs.

We trek through the woods and get to Sam's house. It's a small family house; no one would suspect that it's over a basement holding priceless information. I've been using my legacy to scan for agents and i can hear their minds. They're close; two minutes away from the house. I take a deep breath and turn to Sam.

"Whatever you do, don't lose this. I know you'll want to take revenge on the agents and as soon as Adam has the documents, you can. But for now, stay hidden and guard it" i say. Sam nods, nervously but grins. I, personally, think it's at the huge honour he's been given by guarding my chest. Or maybe that's just me being arrogant. I turn to Adam.

"Right you go in and out. No delays, just grab them and go. Only run for the room once i've distracted the soldiers. I'll explode something and when they're all gone, go in. I'll meet you back here and then... then we can improvise" i mutter, a wicked smile on my face. The others have the same expression. By improvise, i mean attack the soldiers. I'm proud of myself; I've made warriors out of the both of them.

Giving them one last look and last minute advice, i leave the backyard and turn invisible. I sprint for a clearing, a good couple of minutes away from Sam's house. I've analysed the soldier's minds and deduced that they're not clever enough to see this as a diversion. It's typical really. The US government just thinks man power will be enough against a scheming group of teenagers.

I creep through the vans housing the men and sneak into an abandoned weapon trailer. I shake my head with mock sadness at their stupidity at leaving it unguarded, not that it would have made a difference with my legacy, and grab some explosives. I'm not going to kill anyone with these; just alert the men to my presence. Sprinting away, i choose an ideal car and set the explosives underneath it. My Cepan never taught me history or maths, just how to create bombs as well as other things useful for war. I set up the timer and sprint away.

And then, hidden by my invisibility and the black night, i wait.

* * *

Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer - i don't own the Lorien Legacies

Hi guys!

Thank you so much for all the awesome reviews i got for the last chapter; they were as lovely as always. Please continue because they really help me with this story.

I'm glad you guys liked my small plot twist about Adam getting some more legacies because it's a warm up for more. There will be a lot more plot twists and unexpected ones, but they will be a while. :D hopefully you'll like them

But anyway, i won't be updating until next Saturday because i'm in Germany and i won't have access to a computer. I'll update as soon as possible next Saturday though.

Please read and review!

* * *

Six

Marina's lying in the motel bed, still unconscious. Her face has relaxed and she looks like she could be sleeping. Ella is sat nervously next to her, holding her hand. The rest of us are also in the room, waiting for her to wake up.

I think back to what happened. She had woken up, looking as pale as a ghost and with a sheen of sweat on her face. I had pulled the car over, thinking she had the flu and had gone to get some aspirin. She'd fallen on the floor when i'd returned and i had desperately called out her name. The others had woken up and Eight had immediately been there next to her, trying to help her. Ella had been crying, terrified. Marina had suddenly started shouting, something about voices, and then a couple of seconds later, she collapsed.

We had had to move her quickly and Eight had lifted her into the car before other people on the road could become suspicious. I think of the way he's been so gentle with her, even though she's not awake to know the difference. If only she knew how he felt.

"When do you think she'll wake up?" Eight asks. He's anxious and pacing across the room. He runs his hand through his already messy hair. I shrug and look back at Marina. We've been at this motel an hour and we haven't done anything else but sit here.

As if she knows we're all impatient and waiting for her to wake up, Marina begins to stir. I'm on my feet immediately and Eight has teleported next to the bed. Marina looks around, exhausted and then she grimaces.

"What's wrong?" Ella, Eight and i ask simultaneously. Despite the situation, Nine still snorts. I ignore him and look at Marina intently. She's sat all the way up and is rubbing her head.

"Voices... i can still hear the voices, dammit" she mutters. I look up at Eight, alarmed. Has she gone mad? Has everything become too much for her and she's just cracked? I'm about to question her further, when Nine starts laughing. We all turn to look at him surprised; well, i'm just furious, does he not realise how serious this is?!

"You've developed a new legacy" he says, still chuckling. He is obviously finding the whole situation very amusing. If he didn't hold important information, i would so punch him. Instead, I look at him confused trying not to imagine Nine with a black eye, but instead trying to focus on the topic. When i developed my legacies, i never had such a serious reaction.

He grins at my expression. "Sandor was once telling me to man up when i got a legacy. I had been moaning about how hard it was to control. He said there were worse ones to gain; ones that would put you in pain when you develop them. Mind control is one of them" I look back at Marina, stunned. Mind control is a powerful and rare legacy, when you can read and control minds. And it will be invaluable in our fight against the mogs.

I feel a grin stretch onto my face. "Awesome, now _that_ will be a useful legacy!" i exclaim. Marina winces and rubs her head.

"Um, ouch. Please keep it down. And yeah, i'm getting the whole mind reading thing now. How do i block it out?" she asks weakly. Eight suddenly looks petrified and I smirk at him. Now she is going to hear his every thought about her. It's hilarious.

"No idea, you're gonna have to figure that out on your own" Nine remarks and then stretches. He seems extremely relaxed about everything; that or he's very good at hiding emotions. "We might as well stay the night" he says.

"Yep, i'll stay here with Marina, Ella and Eight" i say. Marina looks up surprised when i say Eight's name, but she shouldn't be. He's not going to leave her side any time soon, even if they're not dating. Eight nods and sits down next to Marina, grinning.

"Right, so now we're gonna have to figure out how to block minds" he says cheerfully. He's back to normal now he realises she's ok. Typical. The other three leave the room for which i'm thankful. I don't want to have to think about John and my feelings for him at the moment.

"Well, while you do that, i'm gonna shower" i say and leave the three of them. They're too busy to notice, with Marina smiling shyly at Eight and him gently holding her hand.

_Please don't leave me with them_ Ella says in my mind. I just grin and enter the bathroom.

Xxx

We've been chilling in the hotel room for a couple of hours, lounging around and ordering room service. I lift a slice of pizza to my mouth and savour the melted cheese and tomato sauce. It's so good. Marina is asleep again; the mind blocking thing has taken a lot out of her. Ella is snuggled next to her with BK in beagle version, curled up at her feet. It's a sweet scene. Eight is sitting in front of the TV, flicking through different channels. Nothing interesting is on.

I sigh and get up, stretching. I've been desperately wanting to talk to John for a while; we haven't managed to have a private conversation since i left him and Sam. The impulse has become too strong and i head towards the door. Eight looks up, a question in his eyes.

"Going to talk to John. Look after those two" i say to him. He nods and looks towards the bed. His eyes soften as he takes in the scene.

"Of course. Have fun" he replies and turns back to the TV. Seeing as that's all i'm going to get, i leave the room. I cross the short distance between rooms and as i'm knocking, i'm praying that John will be the one to answer. Thankfully, luck is on my side as he opens the door. He looks surprised and a bit happy when he notices that it's me instead of one of the others.

"Hey, can we talk?" i ask him abruptly. He looks surprised again but nods and leans back through the door.

"I'm going on a walk with Six!" he shouts into the room. Nine shouts back an acknowledgement and mutters something like "but don't take my girl" under his breath. He seems to forget we have advanced hearing too, though not as good as his. I roll my eyes and John grins.

We both walk down the corridor and out of the hotel. It's quiet outside in this small southern Wisconsin town. We've been travelling for at least two weeks now and i'm so looking forward to Chicago. Nine says a couple more days and we'll be there. I can't wait.

The slight breeze blows through the trees as we make our way to a small patch of trees along the main road. It's small enough that no one can see us as we talk, which is what i want.

"So what's wrong?" John asks awkwardly. I sigh and look away. Suddenly, talking with him doesn't seem like such a good idea. I steel myself for my question.

"Do you like me?" i ask whirling around to face him. I've decided bluntness is the best way for me to get a good answer. He looks stunned and open and closes his mouth a couple of times. Even then, he still looks hot.

"W-what?" he asks unintelligently. I roll my eyes and face him.

"It's an easy question: do you like me?" the familiar anger i've felt whenever he's with Sarah surfaces and i can feel my face flushing. John turns red too.

"Six, i don't know what's wrong but-" he begins. I snap.

"For God's sake John!" I cry out. He flinches and looks around, but no one's here. It's just us. "Did our kiss mean nothing to you?! Was i just someone to keep you amused until Sarah came back?!" i ask furious. John's eyes harden and he clenches his jaw. Good, i've got a reaction out of him.

"Of course not! You have no idea how i feel!" he shouts back at me. I stare at him, annoyed.

"Why don't you tell me then! I can't stand this, not knowing how you feel! You stare at me one minute and then the next minute, you're kissing Sarah and i've had enough!" i shout back at him. "I am not some-" But he won't let me continue.

He grabs me by the hand and pulls me towards him. Before i can react, he kisses me. Our kiss is hard and fast and oh so wonderful. I kiss him back and wrap my arms around his neck, tangling my hands in his hair. The kiss is passionate; filled with anger and desperation. One of his hands, moves to my chin and tilts it up further, whilst another goes to my hip. We're so engrossed in one another and i can't think straight. I press closer to him and i feel him do the same. All i can feel and think about is him.

The sudden snap of a twig has us both pulling away and looking around, gasping for breath. But nobodies there; it must have been an animal. Suddenly, the realisation of what we've just done hits me and i stare at him with horror. He just kissed me even though he's with Sarah! Even though he loves her, he loves me too. He reaches out for me again, still caught up in the moment, but i twist away and take a few steps back. His face soon clears and he looks at me, horrified as well.

"What have we done?" i ask. His face is filled with anguish and i know why. I feel the same. I've betrayed Sarah, who has been nothing but kind to me. Self-hatred burns in me and tears pool in my eyes.

"Six, don't. It's my fault" John says, seeing my face. He stops and turns, punching a tree furiously. It shakes and breaks cleanly in half. "But i can't help my feelings for you. I can't!" he moans anguished. Suddenly, forbidden love isn't as romantic as it sounds. John can't leave Sarah; she gave up her life for him, the ultimate sacrifice. And i must do the same.

I step back from him and he looks at my face. Tears slip down his face as he realises what i'm doing. John and i can never be together unless Sarah and he finish and it breaks my heart.

"I'm so sorry, so sorry" he whispers brokenly. I only shake my head and turn invisible. I turn to the hotel, turning away from the heartbroken boy as he calls my name desperately.

Xxx

Adam

The explosion lights up the night sky, throwing metal and plastic into the air. Even from five minutes away, i can see the magnitude of the bomb. I'm confident Five is alright; she'll use telekinesis to stop herself from being hit by shrapnel. I hear alarmed shouting, as the soldiers run to their vans and race towards the crime scene. They'll get a nasty shock when they get there.

Five said the mogs would be joining the agents soon, about half an hour, but they wouldn't be so stupid. Apparently, there will be strategists amongst them so i have to act fast. I know i have to wait a couple more minutes before i go for the documents, to be sure it's just Sam and i.

Sam silently loads the shotgun next to me and straps more ammunition to his belt. I tug my lips up in a smile as i realise he's trying to be more like Five, having weapons on him at all times. I also have a gun in my pocket but it should only be used out of desperation. If the men manage to get to the cellar and i'm forced to use my gun, the plan will have gone horribly wrong.

Sam's timer on his watch goes off when it's my time to go and he claps me on the back, wishing me luck. I smile nervously and then race for the entrance to the well. It's already been opened and fear has made me much faster, so i get there in less than 10 seconds. I quickly swing myself down into the well, almost falling down the ladder in my desperation.

I'm anxious, even though I'm confident that Five has everything under control; she's a good battle strategist. But it's when she becomes reckless that things go wrong. And she could get so caught up in the moment, that-. No i have to stop thinking negatively and focus on the task at hand. I'm briefly reminded of One when i think that and a flash of pain runs through me. I've been blocking out her memory recently; the grief is too much.

I pull the rucksack off my back and start to pull all the papers off the shelves into it. There aren't as many papers as Five thought there would be (she had imagined hundreds of documents, for some reason) and the job is a quicker that we imagined. Soon the bag is full with papers and i turn to go, when my eye notices something. It's a small book hidden in the skeleton's hand. I want to leave it because touching a skeleton is pretty gross, but something tells me i can't leave without it. I walk over and slowly loosen the bones from around the book. They're brittle and i try not to think that this used to be a person. The book comes free and i slip it into the bag.

I remember one of Five's requests and with the small phone she stole, i take a picture of the skeleton. Not because she's into that sort of thing (thought that is debatable), but because she's curious as to whom it was. Finally, i'm compelled to slip the pendant off from the skeleton's neck and put it into a side pocket of the rucksack. I take a last look around just to check there's nothing else in there. Nope, just the skeleton and I.

I quickly scale the ladder and rush over to Sam. He hasn't moved and grins when i crouch next to him. He whistles quietly when he sees how full the bag is.

"Seven minutes. Five will probably be another ten minutes" he says to me. I sag in relief that my job is done. But then something else creeps into me. The desire to fight, to take revenge for what they did to Malcolm. Sam looks the same.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt, if we go to help her..." Sam suggests slowly. Some part of me knows we shouldn't but the need for revenge is too much. I nod savagely and watch his face light up. What happened to us, to make us so eager to kill?

"We'll stash the chest somewhere else" Sam begins but i shake my head. Five would murder me if i did that and i don't fancy dying today. I bend down and lift it, pleased to notice it's not as heavy as it used to be. Maybe i've gotten stronger.

Together, we sprint as fast as we can towards the battle that i'm sure is taking place. It still takes us ten minutes to get there, as we're carrying heavy belongings. When we arrive, i can hardly believe my eyes. Five is nowhere to be seen but a massive storm is concentrated entirely over the men. Hurricane-force winds are buffeting them and they tumble all over each other, whilst rain lashes them. They are screaming with fear and i'm horrified to realise i want to help Five continue. These men took Malcolm from us; they deserve everything they get.

I notice two men (who are safe from Five's storm) turn toward us and aim their guns. But Sam is quicker. He lifts his own shotgun up and shots them, hitting them both in the leg. They both go down, injured but not dead.

The storm stops and the men stumble away from the clearing, as fast as possible. Five appears in front of me, triumphant and excited. I grin at her.

"Did you see me?! I got both men in the legs! And this sounds totally wrong, me celebrating over injuring someone!" Sam crows. I laugh and shake my head at him. Five grins and high-fives us when she sees the documents.

"Is this all you're gonna send us?! COWARDS!" she shouts back at the last of the men, elated. I laugh again, the relief of our victorious mission coursing through me.I can't believe how easy it really was!

But i should have known this wasn't the end.

Suddenly, a howl splits through the air, shortly followed by another. I know immediately what that was and i freeze, terror pounding through me. From the look of fear on Five's face, she is also aware of what they are.

We all turn around and i'm horrified to notice mog soldiers stepping out of the darkness and into our vision. They are soon joined by three pikens and a lot of kraul. Sam whimpers slightly and steps back, shaking. Soon we are surrounded on all sides by at least 100 mog soldiers and their 'pets'.

"Oh no, this is not good. Not good at all" Five mutters. But she's not staring at the mogs surrounding us. She's staring at something behind me. Something even worse, something dangerous enough to make her terrified out of her mind. I turn around slowly, wishing now that i had stayed behind and had listened to Five.

I freeze when i see who it is; my blood runs cold and i stop breathing.

No.

It can't be.

Standing there, smiling the cruel smile of an animal that has cornered his prey, is my father.

* * *

So... if you guys don't hate me for leaving it like that for a week, please review! If you do hate me, still review! :D


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Lorien Legacies

Hi guys!

Thank you all sooooooo much for your amazing reviews! They're really inspiring and help me continue with this story. Please keep them coming! :D

Secondly, i am so sorry for the long wait. Germany is an awesome country and i loved the trip, but it's so nice to be back home and have a proper cup of English tea! Thank you all or waiting and not being impatient with me.

So please read, enjoy and review! :D

* * *

John

I stand alone in the woods, the tears streaming down my face. The freezing wind whips through the trees and tugs at my shirt. It's started raining but i can't go back yet. I can't face Sarah. The agony her name causes me, reminds me of what a terrible person i am; i'm sure my parents would be disappointed with me.

But i can't help it, i love them both. I love Sarah for her compassion, her gentle nature, her kindness... She's everything that's good about this world. But i also love Six. She's tough, dangerous and incredible in battle but inside she's kind and funny and just as good a person as Sarah.

And yes, they're both beautiful.

I head back slowly, trying to think of anything to say when i get back. Probably just that Six and i got into an argument and don't want to talk to each other. That will work. Because i can't talk to Six, because all i'll want to do is kiss her again.

Our kiss. It's all i can think about now. Her lips burned against my mouth and i had desperately pulled her closer to me. I had been completely lost in the moment; a mog could have attacked and i wouldn't have noticed. I've never felt that intense a passion for Sarah and that troubles me more, if possible.

I enter the hotel and get strange looks from the receptionist. I realise i'm soaking wet but i don't care. I wish Henri were here. He'd know exactly what to say to help me and make me feel like less of an idiot.

I use our room key to enter and i stalk over to the bed. Sarah is sitting there with Nine, both playing some sort of card game. Nine must be bored. He looks up and frowns when he sees my expression. Sarah also looks concerned and stands up.

"John, what's wrong? What happened?" she asks, gently. She's worried about me. The guilt and self-hatred rises in me and i feel like i'm choking. I push her away, gently though, and stalk to the window.

"Dude, what's going on?" Nine asks. He's not that concerned but definitely interested. I sigh and clench my fists.

"Six and i had an argument. Over Sam" i spit out. I need to act like i'm furious, instead of being crushed by guilt, otherwise it's obvious what happened. Sarah comes over to me and wraps her arms around my waist, leaning her face on my back. I can't help but think that if Six did this, my reactions would be a lot stronger.

"How could she blame you? Can't she see that you're hurting too?" Sarah asks, anger in her voice. If only she knew what she really should be angry about. I sigh again and turn around, hugging her in return. Nine rolls his eyes and settles back onto the bed, but he knows i'm upset enough to not tease me. That's his sign of kindness.

"I blamed her too. We're both at fault" i reply, not wanting Six to get told off by Sarah. She sighs and strokes my face, her touch lingering on my skin long after it's gone. Why can't i have feelings for just one girl, not both?! And now on top of that, i have feelings of guilt over Sam too. I'm an emotional wreck and as if she knows that, Sarah leans her head on my chest again, trying to comfort me. But it just makes it worse.

_Guys, quickly, come here!_ Ella shouts in mine and Nine's minds.

Nine bolts off the bed, his pipe staff in his hand. Sarah looks up startled but i'm too preoccupied to explain what's happening. I race to the others room, expecting an attack, Nine and Sarah hot on my heels. But what i see, is not what i was expecting. I imagined Mogs holding the others hostage or something along that line. Instead, Ella and the others are staring intently at the screen. Seeing Six sends a pang of agony through my heart and i look away, towards the news.

On the screen, there are photos of an airport somewhere in America. Smoke is rising from it and half the building has collapsed. There is police tape surrounding the area; not that i imagine many people would want to go there. I tune into the presenter's voice.

_"...three teenagers and an adult were seen fleeing the scene. As of yet, we don't know why they were running from authorities in Colorado and now here in Ohio. However, we have been given an idea of who the suspects may be, in order for the public to inform the police if they are seen. The adult man is thought to be Malcolm Goode, a convicted criminal who escaped from a high-risk security prison a few months ago. His accomplices are believed to be his son Sam Goode and Adam Sutton, a teenage boy who was reported as abducted by his parents to the police. Last year, Sam Goode was linked to the terrorist group controlled by John Smith-"_

Nine rolls his eyes at this point. He seems to think me in charge is almost funnier than me being Pittacus. _"... and now after this recent attack, detectives are suspecting the other three are also linked. The teenage girl with them is unknown as of yet". _

I lean back stunned. Sam is free. Free! And Malcolm is alive. I also suspect the girl is Number Five. There's so much to take in, but at least it's distracting me from my own personal drama.

Suddenly, Ella points to the screen again. On it, the news is showing a grainy video, most likely from a phone, of the teenage girl chucking around armed men with ease. She is literally grabbing them and throwing them into walls, whilst the other teenage boy is fighting with another guard. Nine whistles impressed as we see the girl fling a knife into an officer's throat, who goes down choking on his blood. I'm sure it's Five now. I'm faintly horrified by the casual murder and so is the reporter as she continues to repeat what a menace this group is and how if they are seen, the police must be called immediately.

The clip stops and i'm about to turn to the others, thinking it's over when they show their faces on the screen for public identification. Sam is first and i feel a pang of sadness when i see his face. It's a full on picture, probably given to authorities by his mother. He looks grim and sad to me, but to the general public, he will look like a menace. After that Malcolm's face is shown, also grim but again he doesn't look like a criminal, he just looks weary and beaten down.

Next is another teenage boy, Adam they called him. He looks mysterious and threatening, unlike the others. But that's not what shocks me. He's a mog. Even from a photo, it's obvious. He is pale and has the apparent features. I see the same shock i feel on the other's faces. What is Sam doing with a mog?

Finally, they show Number Five. When i see her face, i get the feeling i know her. That i recognise her, only in the way you would if you'd spent a year on a space ship with them. Unlike the others, whose photos had been supplied from their families, hers is from CCTV footage. She is hiding her face, but from what you can see of it, it is emotionless and calculating. I think of the way she easily killed that man with her knife, and i decide i'm very glad she's on my side.

The news footage switches to another topic and Eight presses the remote. Immediately, the screen turns black and the room falls silent. We all lean back and look at one another, well except for Six and I.

"That must be Five" Eight mutters, rubbing his forehead wearily. I nod still stunned by the whole thing.

"And Sam's with them" Six mutters, her face shining slightly. I feel a pang of jealousy, but i have no right. After all i'm going out with Sarah.

"Malcolm's alive" Sarah breathes silently. But with our advanced hearing we call all hear her.

"There's a mog there too!" Nine cries out. He looks concerned for the safety of Number Five and Sam. "We've got to find them and kill that mog! He could be holding them hostage!" he shouts. The others nod at once and get up. Only i hesitate.

"Wait!" i cry out. The others turn and look at me surprised.

"Johnny, it's a threat. We gotta save them!" Nine replies, looking angry. I notice him still gripping his pipe staff.

"No, did you guys see Five? Did you see how easily she killed that man? If that mog is alive, there's a good reason. She's either using him or..." i trail off, not being able to think of anything else. But i don't need to say anymore, Marina backs me up.

"John's right. The mog wasn't that good of a fighter compared to her. He has to be useful or he would be dead. Besides, we have no idea where they'll be right now; we need to charge the tablet and _then_ look for them. We all need rest and proper food and honestly, those guys are providing a great distraction that will help us get to Chicago quicker" she says. I nod and notice the others hesitate even more.

Finally, Nine sighs and collapses on the bed. "Fine, you two win. But if we get a scar on our legs, i'm blaming you both" Marina rolls her eyes and lies down on the bed. Ella curls up next to her.

Inside, i'm mixed up. I hope Five doesn't die because the last thing i need is more guilt. I sigh and move towards the door. I want to get away from Six and her permanent glare. As if he knows my personal drama, BK rubs against my legs and follows me. I feel better already; i'll always have him. Sarah catches up quickly and takes my hand.

The last thing i see before leaving the room is Six blinking her eyes desperately, as if trying not to cry.

Xxx

Five

Adam can't move, he looks at his father, terror in his eyes. I, myself, am also frozen. I shouldn't have been so confident, so sure of us winning. I should always be prepared for an attack.

"Adam, do you think you can get us out of here?" i ask, slowly and quietly. I try to keep the panic out my voice. He looks at me, horror in his eyes and shakes his head. I bite back a curse and nod slowly, pretending to think things through. Inside, i'm screaming; my instinct to survive is telling me to grab my stuff and turn invisible, screw the others. But my loyalty won't let me.

"Can you get Sam out of here?" i ask. He looks and me and shakes his head again. When he's rattled, his teleporting goes horribly wrong. This time I do swear under my breath.

The General steps forward slowly, enjoying our terror. I know deep down, this isn't my fight, this is Adam's. But he's not ready, so for now i'll have to take on the General. I reach down and grab my dagger. The General sees this and laughs.

"You think you can take me down with a knife?" he says, mocking me. I wince slightly. I feel inferior and i hate it. I always have to be the best, but recently that's really not working for me. I know that we can't take out all these mogs by ourselves. A plan begins to formulate in my mind.

The General begins to speak in the Mogadorian language and his troops begin to laugh. I scowl and think things through quickly, a dangerous plan forming in my mind.

"Yes, i do. And i'll prove it to you. We duel and if i win, you let us go" i say. He looks at me surprised, i think, by my bravery. Well i think it's brave. He probably thinks i'm stupid and at this point, i'm starting to agree with him. Adam looks at me horrified.

"No! You can't win, he's unbeatable!" he hisses to me. But i shake his hand off my arm and look at the General. There's no way he's going to turn this down, otherwise he'll be seen as a coward. He grins at me confidently and shakes his head. I'm stunned but before i can argue, he speaks.

"No, only one of you can go" he says, grinning arrogantly. I realise it's a win-win situation for him. I lose, we're all captured and the documents are taken. I win and he either gets Adam or me along with Sam. And i can't let it be Adam.

"Fine, if i win, Adam can go" i say. The General frowns and looks annoyed. He wanted to keep Adam but now it looks like he can't. That's assuming i win of course, which isn't looking very likely at the moment. But if i win and Adam can go, he can go with all of us because he can teleport. I analyse Adam's mind and i'm glad to see he understands my plan. He begins to prepare himself. All we need to do is get out of the clearing and then we can use my invisibility to follow the rest of the escape plan.

Despite the situation, i can't help but admire my plan. Christina would be proud.

I step forward towards the General. He laughs and walks forward, confidently. He stops a couple of metre away from me and smiles cruelly. He pulls out a huge mogadore sword and i try not to gulp.

_Dear God, i've never been one for religion but i promise to join a convent if i win. Which isn't looking likely, so i guess i don't have to worry._ Apparently, i'm not that great at praying.

He lunges forward but i foresaw this move in his mind. I twirl away and fling my dagger towards his leg. It hits home and he howls with pain and embarrassment. I barely have the sense to pull out of my second dagger, before he swings again. I deflect the blow, using my short blade but the shock travels through my arm. I try not to grimace but already the blow has made my arm weaker. I twist my wrist and he stumbles as our blades separate; he had been leaning his full strength on his sword. Again i throw my dagger when he's preoccupied, this time, it hits his arm and again he cries out. Every time i hit him, my confidence grows.

I grab my clip and twist it. My pride and joy emerges: my full Loric sword. The General scowls at me furious as i advance on him. He's wounded and out of breath, whereas i've just began my attack. However, there's a small voice in my head telling me that this is too easy, that he wants me to win. I choose to ignore it.

"So, what were you saying about knives?" i ask, grinning mockingly. He roars and lunges forward. He's so strong but so am i. Our blades crash and we swing them to meet each other and soon we're locked together in a fierce fight for survival. I feel the daggers return to my belt; they are charmed so that they always come back to me. I can feel him using all his strength and i use this to my advantage. I let him whack me hard with the sword and i stumble back, falling to the ground. My leg has a cut on it from where the blade nicked me and blood runs down my leg. However, it's not that serious; i've had worse.

"And you thought you could beat me" he howls with laughter. His troops follow him and join in. I pretend to be scared. I hear Adam calling out my name, but ever so slightly, i shake my head. My hand creeps towards my belt. I'm not dead yet so our duel is still on. This means we can do anything to the other warrior.

Quick as a flash, i stand up and fling my first dagger at him. It hits him solidly in the shoulder. He cries out and stumbles back and that's when i throw the next two simultaneously. They hit him in the stomach and arm. He falls to the ground, groaning in pain. My daggers return to me. I walk up to him and place my sword to his neck. There's dead silence in the clearing.

"I win" i state. He looks up at me with hatred in his eyes. I humiliated him in front of his troops and he will never forget that. But he has to honour our deal. He stands up and nods, stumbling back towards his camp, furious. I stare at him suspicious, but then turn to face the others. Something tells me that i shouldn't have won. That he let me win on purpose. Again, i shake that thought off.

Adam and Sam have proud looks on their faces, as i come towards them. I smile wearily and Adam runs forward and hugs me.

"You were amazing... you have no idea how glad i am to be your friend" he murmurs, holding me tightly. I hug him back, tired but not out of energy yet.

Suddenly, i feel a change of mood in the minds around me and turn, just as the General roars out he order for attack. I cry out as hundreds of mog cannons are fired and the green fire races towards us. I concentrate on my telekinesis and use it to divert them. The rest are blown away with my use of the wind. Sam begins to unload cartridges of bullets into the mogs and many turn to ash. The look on his face is determined as he continuously ends many mogs' lives. Adam is muttering next to me, but i don't bother to listen. I'm too focused on keeping that green fire away from us.

The krauls and piken race towards us, howling and yapping excitedly at the thought of a meal. I try and focus on creating a storm to strike them down with lightning but it won't be quick enough. The mogs get closer and closer and so do the krauls and piken.

For the first time i'm truly scared for my life. We're going to die... we're going to die and the Garde will have to fight without me. I'm desperate to survive, but i can't do anything. Crying out, i throw my arms out, hoping for a last surge of strength and-

The whole world shakes and explodes. The ground rumbles and rises up, like a giant mutated earthquake. Trees fall, squashing many mogs and the piken tumble over, killing a lot of mogs under their massive bodies. Adam must have released his energy. Taking advantage of the mog's shock, i use my element control to grab the moving earth and wrap it around the mogs, pikens and krauls. It's like a blanket; smothering them. Then i push the earth down again. The ground suddenly becomes peaceful and it's just us three left in the clearing. I can't believe how quickly it's over.

I see Adam's father running away through the trees but don't chase. Like i said earlier, it's Adam's fight. He'll be the one to end that monster. I look around and suddenly realise that this normal, flat clearing is the mass grave to many mogs and krauls. It's creepy in an awesome way. Maybe Adam is right, i do need therapy.

"That was you, wasn't it? The massive earthquake?" i ask Adam, quietly. Both of us are drained from our use of legacies. He nods and pulls on the rucksack. I laugh when i look at it. Such a small thing to have caused us so much misery. I bend down and pick up my chest, clapping Sam on the back beforehand. The relief emitting from us three is immense.

"You guys were awesome. I'm glad you came and saved me" i say, a lump in my throat. Sam smiles tiredly as we begin to treck in the woods; the opposite direction to the General. I heal myself with the healing stone as i think about our next move. We'll grab a car from one of the houses and then leave, as quickly as we can. But for now we can enjoy our victory for real.

There's no one around except for us, a quick search of minds shows me so we can be as loud as we want. We whoop as we skip through the forest, making a right fool out of ourselves. Usually i like fights, but only ones i'm sure of winning. Recently, i haven't been sure about getting out of any.

"That's like, at least the third time we've gotten out of huge trouble!" Sam exclaims. I grin and nod, spinning around in a circle for no other reason than pure joy. I really thought i was gonna die.

"Well that's another news story" Adam mutters. We're nearly by a small housing estate, near the outskirts of Paradise so we've quietened down. There's a small road nearby and a couple of cars. They'll be easy to hotwire. I laugh at Adam and nod.

"Yes, but at least the others know we're here and we're ready to fight. Like they are" i say. After my defeat of the General i feel more confident, though something tells me i won't be as lucky next time. It's like he almost wanted me to win; for what reason i don't know. But i push that feeling away for now.

We're walking down the road, choosing which car to steal, when there's a car horn behind us. I jump around immediately and pull out my dagger instinctively. The door opens and a man exits the car. I stare at him suspiciously and narrow my eyes to look at him.

I gasp and stagger when i see who it is. It can't be. It's impossible.

"You guys need a ride?" asks Malcolm.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: i don't own the Lorien Legacies :(

Hi guys!

Once again, a huge thank you for all your awesome reviews; they are very kind and encouraging. Please keep them coming :D

Secondly, this chapter is slightly happier than some of the others recently because i wanted a bit of lightness in my story. However, there will be a lot of action coming up, so don't worry :D

Anyway please read, enjoy and review! :D

* * *

Marina

This whole mind control thing is really getting on my nerves. I can block the voices out, finally, but it's still hard to have a conversation with someone when you accidently answer their thought, instead of their actual response. For example, the other day, we were in a service station and i was supposed to order coffee for myself and the others. The guy at the till liked the look of Sarah and had been thinking about giving her his number. Instead of telling him what coffee we wanted, i told him she was already dating someone else. To say embarrassing would be an understatement; the customers looked at me like i had a second head. The others wouldn't let me forget that for the rest of the day.

But there are definitely some advantages. Eight, being the biggest. I admit, i've looked into his mind more than once and i've definitely noticed that he likes me. A lot and in a positive way, unlike Steve and his friends. It's made it easier to talk to him, knowing how he feels and that i feel the same. Obviously, i don't read his mind too much, i respect his privacy, but a sneak peek now and then doesn't hurt.

We're still driving, though according to Nine, we'll arrive at his safe house today. The excitement coming from his mind is infectious and i find myself also grinning. That's another downside to mind control; if an emotion's strong enough, then i'll feel it too, as though i'm experiencing it myself.

However, not all the minds in the car are happy. John and Six's moods have both been depressed and i know why. I read their minds the day the kiss happened; i'd had no experience with blocking minds so i couldn't help it. I want to help them, i really do, but there's nothing i can do. They have to sort it themselves.

Nine grins excited as he recognises a sign. His pure happiness infects me and i find myself twitching in anticipation. I had a coffee earlier, so i don't think the caffeine is helping either. Ella giggles next to me when i start humming along to the song on the radio. Eight, who is sitting on my other side, grins playfully.

"Someone's happy, you can't seem to sit still" he says cheerfully. His emotions in his mind are teasing but tender at the same time. I beam at him.

"I can't help it! Nine's too happy and i had caffeine!" i moan. Eight laughs and places his hand over my knee that was bouncing up and down. I stop at once, trying to look serious. It doesn't work very well, as i can feel giggles wanting to burst out of me. Eight can see me smothering my laugh and grins.

"Are we there yet?" i ask Nine, who groans. I've asked this question so many times. I seriously need to calm down.

"Ten minutes" i look out, interested and take in Chicago for the first time. The sun is out today shining on the buildings, making it look majestic. Lake Michigan spreads out, and the sun glints off the water. It's beautiful and i can see why Nine loves it here. We pull up in front of a building and Nine turns around.

"We can dump the car here. Happens all the time here" he says, grinning at us. Six rolls her eyes and climbs out of the car. I jump out and stretch, relieved that the long days on the road are over, for now anyway. I never really realised just how big the US is.

We all follow Nine through the streets of Chicago, whilst carrying our chests. We don't get many odd looks for that and Nine grins at my expression of surprise.

"That's what i love about Chicago; people can be as weird as hell and still fit in" he says smiling proudly at his city. I, myself, have never stayed in a city before and find myself looking around with wide eyes. The amount of people bustling down the streets is huge. I am so stunned by everything, that i don't notice Nine stopping in front of a building.

"Here we are. My safe house is right at the top" he says, with a huge smirk. Six looks stunned but angry, as we take in the John Hancock Centre.

"Are you crazy?! We'll be trapped up there!" she says, eyes darting around. But a quick survey of minds shows me that there aren't any mogs around.

"I lived here for five years before we were bothered and that was my fault; we'll be fine" Nine replies and ignoring the others' protests, he walks right in. I follow, barely believing that Nine has a safe house in the John Hancock Centre! It's insane that one of the Garde lives like this.

Nine has a conversation with the receptionist, who seems to know him well, and then gestures back to all of us. I see the guys' eyes widen as he takes in all six of us, all looking like we've been trekking halfway across America. Which we have.

Nine leads the way to an elevator, once the conversation is over and we all pile in. I'm so excited to see his home, that i don't completely notice the elevator climbing to the very top of the building. The doors open and it's like entering paradise.

It's a massive room, with floor-to-ceiling windows, showing a stunning view of Chicago and Lake Michigan. There's a corridor leading down to more rooms, i suspect. This main room holds the kitchen, lounge and dining room all in one. The kitchen has high-tech machines for God-knows-what, the lounge has leather sofas surrounding an HD TV and there's an elegant glass table in the dining area.

Except for John and Nine, we all stare at the apartment with our mouths hanging open. It's ten times better than the orphanage in Spain, that's for sure. Nine breaks the silence.

"Okay, there are four rooms. I'm going by myself in my room, which is the first door on the right. The rest of you can share" Nine says, walking towards another room.

"Where are you going?" Six asks sharply. Nine just grins happily; nothing can bother him at this moment.

"I'm setting up the cameras so we can keep an eye on our surroundings" he replies. I relax slightly in the knowledge that there are cameras around to look out for mogs.

The rest of us explore the rest of the bedrooms, which are filled with huge beds, more HD TVs, ensuite bathrooms, big wardrobes and more. We then stand outside in the corridor, choosing our roommates. There's a bit of an awkward silence.

"I'll go with Eight?" John says, looking at Eight hopefully who grins back. I guess guys want to stick together. They both relax and look at the rest of us, interested to see who's gonna room with whom.

Six's horror suddenly fills my mind. She doesn't want to share with Sarah, not after the events between John and her. I decide to offer to stay with Sarah instead of with Ella; it's the least i can do for Six.

"I'll go with Sarah" i say, walking towards the biggest room. I bagsied this one before the others could, so now Sarah and i share it. This room has a large queen-sized bed (a bit over-the-top, but i'm not complaining) and a couple of armchairs by the huge windows. There's a switch on the side for the blinds. I drop my rucksack on the floor and collapse onto the bed, exhausted. Within seconds, i'm asleep.

Xxx

After a long, hot shower and a change of clothes, i feel so much more refreshed and i'm even eager to cook dinner. Life looks so much better after a good sleep and i find myself humming as i slowly chop up some vegetables. Nine and John went out to buy food, but didn't get any clothes. That will be mine and Six's job tomorrow, something that i'm really looking forward to. It will be nice to do something fun with a friend for once.

"Need some help?" i was so distracted i didn't hear anyone come in. I whirl around, a knife in my hand but relax when i see it's Eight. I smile and lean against the counter, whilst he laughs at my shock.

"If you want. There's not much to do though" i reply. He shrugs.

"Got nothing better to do" he replies and pulls down an apron from a hook on the wall. He pulls it over his head, but can't seem to tie it at the back properly. Shaking my head at his attempts, i laugh and take over from him. I tie it at his back, trying to ignore my close proximity to him and how his muscles tense under my hands when he moves slightly. I pull away and turn back to the vegetables, a little flustered.

We work in comfortable silence for a while, until he suddenly swears and drops his knife. He's cut his hand and is bleeding everywhere.

"Ow" he mutters and is about to turn to run his finger under the tap when I grab his hand. I concentrate, allowing my legacy to flow through me. His hand heals up and he looks down at me, awed.

"Guess i'll never get used to that" he mutters, smiling at me gratefully. I smile gently back at him, until i realise how close we are. We both turn serious and can't look away from the other. I sense his mind and read his inner turmoil; he wants to kiss me but is nervous about whether i return his feelings. For once, i'm the confident one and i decide to initiate things.

I lean up and press my lips to his very gently and very hesitantly. He's surprised at first, but then becomes more relaxed and kisses me back. One of his hands presses against the small of my back, whilst another wraps itself in my hair, at the nape of my neck. He tips my face up further, giving us both better access. I wrap my arms around his neck and push closer to him.

The kiss is gentle and slow at first but filled with so much emotion. I don't know why i waited this long to kiss him but i'm so glad i've finally done it. Our kiss starts to pick up in intensity and all i can think of and feel is him. I'm completely consumed by him and our kiss and things are getting more serious, when we're interrupted.

"Hey, when's- oh! Sorry, um...!" John stumbles into the room, but almost immediately runs out again, apologetic. Eight and I both pull away; bright red and we avoid each other's eyes. His lips are slightly redder than usual from kissing me and i want to do it again, but i'm too shy. This time, though, it's Eight who takes the lead.

"So, where do we go from here?" he asks, grinning playfully. I know he's nervous but he's thrilled at our kiss as much as i am and it's in his nature to always be happy. I shrug and nervously meet his gaze again. His face softens and he takes my hand, looking serious.

"Wi-will you go out with me?" he asks, stumbling slightly from nerves. We're both so new to these emotions; we're not sure how to control our feelings. I stare at him stunned at this progression and then nod, grinning.

"Of course" i laugh, delighted that we have finally gotten somewhere. He lets go of a breath, relieved and I grin as he takes my hand and pulls me close again. I'm so happy that this time, i don't need any of Nine's emotion to make me feel this way. Eight has one arm around my waist, whilst his other hand is playing with my hair.

"So, as your official boyfriend, i can now do anything i want, right?" he asks. I roll my eyes, glad he's gone back to being playful.

"Depends on what you want to do" i answer, lightly. He grins at my response.

"Just this" he says and he leans down to kiss me.

Xxx

Adam

We all just stare at Malcolm stunned as he opens the door for us. Sam is the first to break the silence and throws himself at Malcolm, crying as he wraps his arms around his dad's neck. I grin, filled with happiness but stunned at the same time.

Five suddenly drops to her knees and crawls under the car. Malcolm looks at her puzzled as she searches under there for a couple of minutes, for what, none of us are sure.

"Five, what are you doing?" Malcolm asks, confused. We all are. I thought Five would be thrilled he's alive, especially now we have someone to help us with the documents. Instead, at the sound of his voice, she shoots up and holds a sword to his throat. Sam cries out and tries to lunge out in front of his dad, but Five holds him back with telekinesis. He struggles uselessly against it. I try and do the same, but end up in the same position.

"Checking for a locator. You shouldn't be alive! Who are you?!" she asks menacingly. I see blood trickle slowly down from Malcolm's neck where the blade has nicked him slightly. I struggle against her hold, but the pressure increases. I give up; instead deciding words will be more effective.

"Five, that _is_ Malcolm! What are you doing?" i cry out. Sam is snarling as he tries to free himself, but like me, he's ineffective.

"It's fine, i understand why she's suspicious. Read my mind, Five. It's me, not a trick" Malcolm pleads with her. He's calm despite the situation, safe in the knowledge he's telling the truth.

Five looks at him and we all wait for a couple of tense moments and then suddenly i'm let go. I fall to the floor and then immediately bolt up. Sam does the same and lunges for Five. Before we can do anything, he punches her in the face. It doesn't hurt her but she still looks shocked as she falls to the ground. Malcolm grabs Sam and holds him back.

"Enough! Sam, she has every right to be suspicious! She's been hunted for years!" Malcolm shouts, looking like an angry parent for the first time. Sam sags and stops struggling. I walk over and help Five stand up. She rubs her cheek ruefully.

"I guess i deserved that" she mutters, putting her sword away. I smile at her and look around, to make sure nobody saw our drama. Thankfully, the street is silent and i breathe a sigh of relief.

"Well, let's hit the road" Sam suggests.

Xxx

"I was pretty badly injured in my back and shoulder but not dead. I was unconscious for most of it, but i'm told i was taken immediately to medics and they fixed me. To be honest, i only woke up a couple of days ago. The agents decided to bring me to Paradise, to be used as bait" Malcolm explains.

We've been on the road for a while and have finally decided where to go. Instead of travelling further east, we're going north, towards Michigan. I've heard Lake Michigan is pretty stunning and right now we need to relax and look at the documents. Five is in the front next to Malcolm, whilst Sam and i sit in the back. She is flicking through the documents already, a huge frown on her face.

"But after the explosion, they left me to see what had happened. I had pretended to be asleep, so they thought i was secure. I figured you guys had gotten here when i heard the noise so i thought i'd meet you halfway. I hotwired a car and have been driving round Paradise for the last couple of hours" he finishes. I look at him concerned as he rolls his shoulder.

"Are you completely healed?" i ask. He looks guilty and shakes his head.

"I will be in a couple of days. My priority was getting you guys" he replies. Suddenly, Sam swears loudly. I look at him shocked and the car swerves a bit as Malcolm's hands jerk in shock. Even Five looks up, curious.

"I never saw Mum!" he cries out, a distraught look on his face. I understand his pain; he wanted to see his mum for what could be the last time and tell her he was ok. Malcolm smiles.

"Don't worry. I dropped her a note explaining everything. I told her you loved her but this was for the best. She'll understand" he explains. Sam leans back relieved and breaths in deeply.

"How are those documents coming along?" i ask Five as she rifles through the stack. She frowns and leans back, running a hand through her hair.

"Terrible. Most of it's in Loric, which i can't read. I only learnt a bit and then we came here, to Earth. Learning Loric wasn't a priority. But oh well, i'll deal with it later, with the others. I'm sure between us we can figure something out" she mutters. Malcolm bites his lip.

"I was hoping you could read that. The Cepan gave it to me when they arrived on Earth; said i'd hide it better than they could" he says, absent-mindedly pulling over to a service station. Five's face lights up and she stretches her arms. I roll my eyes; despite everything she still always has time for a coffee.

"Maybe that was why John and Henri came to Paradise, to find you to take the documents" Sam mused. I nod along.

"It makes sense. You said that Henri came back because he needed something" Malcolm replied. Five grins and grabs some money as the car pulls to a stop. She hops out, eager to go and buy the coffee. I get out as well and stretch. I look up at the night sky and admire the stars. I can see Lorien and Mogadore clearly. Somehow, Lorien seems to shine brighter recently. Or maybe that's me imagining things.

"It's waking up" Malcolm says coming to stand next to me. I look at him quizzically. He grins at my expression and points to the sky.

"Lorien. It knows its' soldiers will return soon and it is waking up for them. It never died; just hibernated. But recently it's been shining brighter" he explains. I look up at awe at the distant planet and smile.

Maybe there's hope after all.

* * *

So... this chapter didn't contain a huge POV from Adam, but there'll be a lot more soon. I hope you guys enjoyd the MarinaXEight scene; i love writing about them :)

Please review! :)


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: i don't own the Lorien Legacies

Hi Guys,

Thank you all for your reviews :D they are awesome and i really love them! Please continue!

So a bit of fluffiness mixed with moodiness in this chapter but there is plenty of action in the next one :D

Please read, enjoy and review!

* * *

Six

"What about this? It would look nice on you" I look towards Marina, seeing her hold up a silky black shirt. It _is _a nice shirt and i can't help but think that maybe John would like me in it. I nod and put it in my shopping basket.

Marina and I are shopping in a mall in Chicago. Nine dropped us off here and promised to pick us up after four hours. We've bought all the necessary clothes and now we're just browsing through the nice outfits, the ones we can wear to make us look pretty. Sarah didn't want to come shopping as she wanted to spend time with John. I didn't want her to come with us anyway.

I see a white top that would show off Marina's slim figure nicely and hold it up to show her. It's nice being able to act like a normal human for a day and do something for fun with your closest friend. Marina and i have certainly bonded more today.

"I don't know; it seems a bit revealing" she says, nervously tucking her hair behind her ear. I roll my eyes and shove it in her basket anyway.

"It's slim-fit not slutty. Besides, Eight will drool when he sees you in it" i counter. She blushes when she hears his name and looks down, embarrassed. She and him _finally_ came to their senses and are now officially a couple. Their PDA shows are not nearly as bad as John and Sarah's; in fact all i've seen them do are hold hands, for which i'm grateful for. Funnily enough i'm not in the mood for romance at the moment.

"Fine... hey do you think Sarah will like this?" she asks wickedly, pulling out a hideous lime green dress. I laugh and push her slightly. She grins at me in return and puts the dress back. She doesn't not like Sarah, but she's just trying to make me feel better, for which i'm grateful.

We eventually buy the clothes and wander over to a refreshment stand and order milkshakes. Slurping on my strawberry flavoured drink, i check my watch. Nine will be here in half an hour, thank God. My feet and arms are killing me. Marina also looks tired and we collapse onto a bench, taking in the passers-by. We're silent for a while until Marina speaks up.

"I know why you're avoiding John" I look at her alarmed. I thought my kiss with John was secret knowledge. If Marina knows, who else does?

"Who else knows?!" i ask desperately. John and i vowed Sarah would never find out, it would break her heart too much. Also, i'm embarassed by my moment of weakness. Marina looks up at me and smiles sadly.

"Just me. I couldn't block you out on that day and..." she trails off. She doesn't need to continue though, i know she experienced everything. I can't find it in me to feel angry; i know she didn't want to intrude on our privacy and she can't fully control her legacy just yet. I nod and look away.

"I'm sorry Six. I wish i could make John see sense, i really do, but i can't force him to do something using compulsion" she says quietly, taking a drink from her milkshake. I understand, but it would make my life easier. Immediately, i feel bad. I can't allow Marina to abuse her legacy for me.

"It's fine. It's my problem, i need to sort it out" Marina nods and looks away. I feel bad for snapping slightly but I don't want to talk about it with anyone There's an uncomfortable silence. We sit there for a while until i receive a text from Nine.

_Hey, i've been waiting for ages! Hurry up! _I grin and show Marina the text. She laughs but then groans when she picks up the bags.

"Man up" i tell her also giggling. She rolls her eyes and we stumble towards the car park, our arms filled with bags and our moods happy.

Xxx

"Oh my god, how much stuff did you buy?" Eight asks incredulous as Marina, Nine and I enter the apartment. He teleports over and takes all the bags from Marina, who smiles at him gratefully. I want to roll my eyes but i suppress the urge. I don't want to be a killjoy all the time.

"That's what i said, dude. This is why guys hate shopping with girls" Nine replied. I put the bags down and hit him.

"You won't be so annoyed when you see all the stuff we bought you" i retort and then i collapse on one of the massive sofas. I sink down in the pillows, enjoying the moment of peace. Marina walks towards her room with all her and Sarah's clothes, whilst Eight and Nine rummage through the bags, choosing their own clothes.

"Oh hey, Johnny! Come and see what my girl's bought us" Nine shouts to him. This time, i do roll my eyes at that last comment and look up to see John and Sarah enter the apartment. They've clearly been on a walk as their cheeks are pink from the cold and they are wrapped up against the weather. Despite winter being over, the weather in Chicago is not warm just yet.

John and i share a small private look and i feel my heart pound slightly in my chest. I look away from his clear blue eyes and instead notice Marina walk in. She's wearing leggings and an over-sized jumper that she stole from Nine on the first night we got here.

"Seriously! We just got loads of nice stuff, and you wear that!" I exclaim. She simply grins and joins Eight, who is sitting on the next couch. He throws his arm around her shoulder and kisses her cheek. She blushes when she sees me looking and switches on the TV.

I sigh and pull myself off the coach, grabbing my bags full of clothes. No one looks up as i go to mine and Ella's room. I drop the bags on the floor and walk up to the window. The sun is starting to set and Chicago is becoming dark. I sigh and look down to all the people below. I feel safe this high up, as though no one can touch me. It's been so long since i've felt that way.

"Knock, knock" i look up. Sarah's at the door, smiling at me. Right now, she's the last person i want to see. But instead i plaster on a smile.

"What's wrong?" i ask, pretending to care. I hate her for taking John. It's irrational but that's what happens when you love someone. You're not rational. However, at the same time, I don't want to hate her; she's a really nice girl.

She sighs and closes the door behind her. She walks over and falls onto my bed. I stifle a groan as i realise she wants a long conversation and i sit stiffly next to her. She lies down and covers her eyes with her arm.

"It's John. He and i are having trouble" she says. Hope leaps into my heart. Maybe she'll end things, maybe she'll go, maybe he'll ask me out... No. The only reason they're having trouble is because John is feeling guilty about our kiss. And if he really wanted to be with me, he would leave Sarah.

"Why don't you talk to Marina?" i ask, genuinely curious. Anyone can get along with her and Sarah seems to trust her a lot after she saved her life. Sarah sighs and looks at me ruefully.

"She's so happy with Eight, i don't want to trouble her. She deserves some peace" she says. I nod. Sarah's right. At least we can agree over something, though now i'll probably get jealous over her friendship with Marina. I really need to sort myself out.

"I don't know Sarah. I'm no expert at relationships" i say wearily. She looks up at me disappointed, but then nods, getting the messgae that i want privacy . She gets up and slowly walks to the door. When she's there, she turns around and smiles sadly.

"Sorry for disturbing you. And thanks anyway" she says, not spitefully. When she leaves, i feel even worse than usual for making her feel alone. I turn and punch a wall, breaking plaster and cutting my hand. Luckily, no one hears and i sink to my knees, my body wracked with sobs.

I _hate _love.

Xxx

Five

I lie in the double bath tub and enjoy the warm water washing over my body. It's the first time since meeting the others that i've really had time to relax. I smile to myself; we've saved the documents _and_ reunited with Malcolm. Life has never been better.

I lean over and grab the shampoo, lathering my hair. We're in a four star hotel in Michigan, over-looking the lake. We had enough money to pay for it and after the ordeal we've been through, we deserve a bit of luxury. The smell of vanilla fills my nose, as i rinse my hair through.

I lean back once i've cleaned myself properly and take a sip from my glass of champagne. I know, _champagne_. But it came with the room for free and it's the one time i can actually drink a bit of alcohol. I feel relaxed and a whole lot more cheerful because of it. I look around the bathroom and appreciate the marble sinks and shower. There are little bottles of toiletries by one of the two sinks; just what you'd expect from a high class hotel.

Sighing, i stand up since the water's getting cold and i dry myself with one of the fluffy towels. I then pull on a dressing down, almost moaning in the pure comfort. It's heaven. I empty the bathtub and then leave the bathroom, leaving the door open to get rid of the steam. In the bedroom, Adam has opened the balcony doors and is sitting on a chair, watching the sunset. Re-filling my glass and frowning at the now-empty bottle, i join him.

"Beautiful, isn't it" he says, gesturing to where the sun touches the water, turning it a brilliant gold and red. I nod, speechless by the sight, and sit down next to him. He chuckles when he sees my glass and shakes his head. However, it doesn't go unnoticed by me that he also has a full glass.

"Malcolm came over to say that we can go through the documents in the morning. Also, i ordered room service" he adds. I grin and lean back, enjoying the pure comfort.

When the food comes, Adam goes to fetch it whilst i just sit and appreciate the view. I wonder if the butler thought we were a couple. The thought makes me smile; Adam and i are just close friends. I trust him with my life.

"Soooo, we have a salmon starter, lamb and potatoes for main and an incredible chocolate-looking desert. Man, i love having money" Adam announces, rolling a trolley thing in. I smile and jump up, coming to help him. Well, in reality i just grab my food, but i do make his load lighter to push.

We devour the food pretty quickly, not really savouring it. We even get to the point where we lick our plates. Well, Adam does; i have some dignity left in me to restrain myself. At the end, we both sit there, stuffed with food, our stomachs protesting. There's a long silence.

"Adam?" i ask. He looks at me, curiously.

"Yes Five"

"If Earth is this beautiful, imagine what Lorien would look like" i say. Lorien is supposed to be more stunning than Earth, because there is no pollution and simply because it's better. Adam nods and sighs.

"You'll see Lorien again, Five. One day you will" he says, reaching out and taking my hand. I'm surprised at his attempt of comfort and then i smile.

"And you'll see it too. You're one of us now" i reply. I feel the joy that causes him and for the first time in years, i feel content. No desire to run or hide, no need to go on any dangerous mission. For now, i can just sit and enjoy the sunset. And that's what i do.

Xxx

I have a terrible headache. Not from the alcohol, which didn't really affect me at all, but from the documents. Most of them are in Loric and i can't read that! Groaning, i fall back onto the bed, rubbing my temples whilst Malcolm looks up from his computer at the desk. Adam and Sam went to the gym, to 'toughen up'. Well that's how they put it. They didn't seem too happy when i just laughed at them.

"Nothing?" he asks. Like me, he has a headache. He's been searching for possible Garde activity, but so far has found none. I don't care though; right now i'm just focused on these damn papers. I shake my head and pick up another paper. I focus on the words but nothing makes sense.

How am i supposed to read this?! There are only a few words i know and i highlight those, but it still doesn't make sense at all. I sigh, leaning back. I kick the papers onto the floor and stretch out fully on the bed, when i notice a small book on the table. Adam said he picked had it up on a whim when he was in the well.

I reach over and grab for it, when Malcolm perks up excited. He motions for me to come over, which i do, and he shows me an article on his computer. It shows a half-destroyed motel on the outskirts of Minnesota. I scan the article quickly and conclude that it has to be the Garde; no one else would be able to make such a mess and leave mysterious piles of ash behind. I want to be glad but the documents have worsened my mood.

"Well, at least we know they're closer than New Mexico" Malcolm says. I nod and walk back over to the bed.

"Yeah, but the attack happened over a week ago. They could be anywhere now" i complain. He wilts and i flop back onto the bed. Despite the news, it's not recent enough to count.

I reach for the book again and flip it open. It's in Loric and i want to throw it against the wall, when i notice small letters underneath each word. Someone has put in an English translation.

Crying out, i lean forward, excited. Malcolm rushes over and i show him my discovery. Together we read the first page.

_The Lorien War - 7002_

_Before we can reach a full and comprehensive understanding of what happened, a few crucial facts shall be laid out._

_First of all, the names of the ten Elders of Lorien:_

_1 - Pittacus Lore_

_2 - Terentia _

_3 - Briseïs _

_4 - Loridas _

_5 - Aias _

_6 - Marco_

_7 - Tullia_

_8 - Irina _

_9 - Arya _

_10 - Setrakus Ra_

Suddenly, i freeze. I re-read the last line over and over but it doesn't change. Fury rises in me, a fury so strong, i'm surprised i don't burst. Malcolm who can't read the small print that well, places his hand on my shoulder and asks what's wrong.

I look up at him, the anger evident in my eyes. My jaw is clenched and my hands have become fists.

"Setrakus Ra is Loric. He was one of the elders"

* * *

Ok, so i have no idea what really happened but i'm beginning to think that's a likely idea. Anyway,sorry it was not action packed but i think it's necessary to have some calmer chapters.

Please review!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies

Hi guys,

I have quite a lot of things to say so i better get started:

Firstly, thank you guys so much for your reviews! They are amazing as ever and help me continue with this story.

Secondly, the action begins again! I think you guys prefer reading the action so there's a lot more coming :D

Thirdly, for Adam's POV in this chapter, we find out what happened to the Loric and the Elders. Obviously, i have no idea what really happened so this is just a guess. If you guys don't like it, don't worry, it does not affect the story at all really but i just thought i'd put it in there. If you love it, great :) Also, if it contradicts anything said in the novels, again just ignore it; the little back story won't affect anything much and i've forgotten some of the finer details.

Finally, i got a review about this story potentially being AdamxFive. Don't worry it's not; i just want them to have a strong friendship. To give away a spoiler, it's a FivexNine story :D

So now that's out of the way, please read and review! :D

* * *

John

"All right! So, basically this is the lecture theatre. There are different stations for each skill: strength, speed, aim. You guys get the idea. We'll start with those and then we're gonna have some duels" Nine announces, a smug grin on his face.

We're all stood in the massive training room, on the second floor. Thanks to Marina and Six's shopping trip, we're all kitted out in our training clothes. Nine moves us towards the first station: strength. Marina and Ella look uncomfortable already and i feel bad for them. It's not their fault they don't have as much training as the rest of us.

"So for this one, basically just do as many sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups as you can" Nine says and then walks over to a bar. Using one arm, he pulls himself up and down on it, showing off his perfect form. He grins at us. Six rolls her eyes and sits down to do sit-ups. The rest of us follow suit.

We go from station to station, Nine excelling every one whilst Marina and Ella are the worst off in each one. Marina's face is constantly red, especially when Nine points her out for doing something wrong. He's not being mean, just trying to encourage her to do better, but his method sucks. Eight and I do pretty well in each one, and Six is almost as awesome as Nine. She just doesn't have the experience with the equipment, otherwise she'd so beat him.

The last station is speed. Nine is, once again, the best at it due to his legacy, although for once Marina is not far behind. Ella and i fail that one. We just basically have to dodge paintballs; at first i think it's stupid that it's balls of paint but then i realise that it's easy to see who is fast and who needs to improve. Nine has a couple of shots, as does Marina but Ella and i are covered in paint. Embarrassed at Nine's laughter and Six's pitying look, i move away from the station and go to get a drink from a table in the corner. Nine had the sense to bring bottles down, so we couldn't hide in the flat upstairs when getting some water. Right now, it sounds like a good idea.

"You ok?" i turn to see Eight, lounging next to me, also drinking. He has some paint on him too, so i don't feel as bad. I shrug.

"Yeah, i guess. Why?" i reply. He smiles at me and claps me on my shoulder, but it's not condescending like Nine's would be. Eight is just being nice.

"You looked sad and you've been quiet all week" he says. I just shrug again and look towards the others. We both grin at the sight; Six has Nine in a head lock and Marina is lobbing paintballs at him from quite far away. I see how she did well at the aim station.

Eight laughs as his girlfriend throws a particularly good shot and hits Nine in the face, who splutters and shouts at them to stop. I feel my mood lighten when i see Six; she's laughing away, oblivious to how gorgeous she really is and how she's making my heart pound erratically.

"We're so whipped" Eight says, shaking his head. I chuckle and nod, hoping he's talking about my love for Sarah and not my forbidden feelings for Six.

"Such a good feeling though, right?" i reply. He nods and we toast our water bottles together. Six runs up to us, also grabbing a bottle of water. Her face is flushed and she is wearing a tank top and leggings. I can't keep my eyes off her.

"Come on guys! Don't be lazy, we've only been here three hours" she says, shoving Eight. He grins and shoves her back. She lunges for him and they have a mock fight. Even though Eight has awesome legacies, Six is too good and soon she has him pinned on the ground.

"One, two, three. I win!" she cries out, holding him down. Marina walks over, whilst Ella and Nine are still doing a bit of training. She looks down curiously at Six and Eight.

"Why are you beating up my boyfriend?" she asks, not looking concerned at all. I grin at her and chuck her some water. She catches it and smiles gratefully at me.

"I don't know! I'm innocent! Save me?!" Eight pleads, batting his eyelashes. I laugh at his show. Marina pretends to consider it and then shakes her head.

"Nah, you probably deserved it" she replies. Eight protests hugely as Six helps him stand. I meet her eyes and smile at her, hoping to see her return it. To my great pleasure, she does. I hope things between us will soon fix.

"Well, i'm starving. Let's go get some lunch" Six suggests. I raise an eyebrow at her.

"And you called us lazy" i mutter. She hears me and whacks me on the arm.

"Watch it Four!" she snaps but she's grinning at me, a playful light in her eyes.

Xxx

After a long lunch, we're back in the training room. This time we're duelling and Nine is rubbing his hands, excited.

"Up first: it's Six and I. Legacies allowed!" he announces. Six grins at me, as she prepares to beat up Nine. I hope she wipes that smug smile off his face; i don't even care that he's like my brother.

They face each other and take fighting positions. I assess them both: Six has the right technique but so does Nine and he is very strong and fast. It's difficult to say who will win. Six usually wins but Nine's feeling confident after some training.

Nine lashes out first at Six, with a right hook. She ducks and tries to slam her fist into his stomach but he's too fast and has moved away. He lunges again for her and she ducks but this time he expects that and he kicks her feet out from under her. For a small moment, i think he's won, but she's up on her feet again and lands a successful punch to his stomach. He doubles over and rams into her, using his weakness as a weapon. They both fall to the ground.

Six suddenly turns invisible and Nine is left alone, annoyed. I feel a bit bad for him; how can you fight someone you can't see? Something slams into him but instead of falling completely, he grabs some part of Six (who is still invisible) and throws her, stumbling a little in the process. She smashes into a wall, turning visible. I gasp and take a step forward, wanting to see if she's all right. Marina grabs my hand and shakes her head at me.

Six is up when i look back again and i breathe a sigh of release. Nine sprints over, so fast you can only see a blur, and lunges for her. She dodges but instead of hitting the wall, he runs up it. He grabs her during her surprise and holds her by the neck. She dangles helplessly over the huge drop, as Nine has run further up the wall and onto the ceiling. I'm annoyed that Nine is winning despite the fact it was a fair fight. She kicks out at him but misses and swings wildly. He laughs and looks down at us.

"Is that a win?" he asks triumphantly. I want to shout 'no' but it's a lie.

"Yes, it's a win" Marina says, resigned. Seems i'm not the only one who wanted Six to win. Nine comes down from the ceiling and he lets go of Six the minute they get to the ground. She glares at him and joins us, silently fuming.

"You were still really good" Ella murmurs, holding her hand. Six relaxes a bit, but the glare doesn't let up.

"Right, Marina, you're up next against me!" Nine says. He's more confident now and Marina looks worried as she walks up opposite him. I expect this is going to be a short fight. Six looks annoyed; she doesn't want her friend to be humiliated, especially not in front of Eight.

"You know the rules, legacies allowed" Nine says. Marina nods and then closes her eyes. She seriously cannot just let him beat her up without putting up a small fight! Nine looks surprised at this show of resignation but gets ready. Next to me, Eight groans quietly. I guess seeing your girlfriend getting beaten up is not fun to watch.

Nine lunges out for Marina, but he misses. Surprised, he does it again but once more he misses. Confused, i look closer and see that it's actually Marina who is moving. She's reading Nine's moves in his mind and then dodging them with superspeed. That's why she closed her eyes, to concentrate.

I begin to laugh quietly as Nine grows more and more annoyed. Eight is grinning with pride and so is Six. Mind control is definitely an awesome legacy. Suddenly, Nine lashes out with superspeed and grazes Marina with his fist. The powerful force behind it is enough to make her stumble and he grabs her and throws her to the ground.

"I win again!" he announces, grinning at Marina. He helps her up and they walk towards us. Six gives Marina a high-five, whilst Eight kisses her forehead. Despite her lose, she was still pretty impressive. To me though, Six is still much more amazing. I guess i'm biased.

"And now, Eight and John" Nine says. I look at Eight and although he grins at me, i know he wants to win to impress Marina. But i also want to win to impress Six. This is going to be a tough fight; neither wants to lose or even show weakness. Maybe that's why Nine put us together; to entertain him.

We stand opposite each other and assess one another. His teleportation is gonna be a pain, as is his shape-shifting, but i figure that me turning into a human fireball will keep him back.

"Go!" Nine shouts impatiently. Immediately, Eight is gone and i feel an arm around my neck. I heat my hand up with Lumen and grab his wrist. I feel bad when i hear his cry of pain and i smell his burning flesh, but i want to win and Nine said legacies were allowed. Besides it's not a fatal injury.

Eight lets go and staggers back. His whole lower arm is badly burned and out of the corner of my eye, i see Marina with her hand over her mouth. I aim the Lumen at my feet and soon fire envelopes me. I see Eight deciding how to continue. He teleports again and punches me in the face, but again gets burned. I stagger back and lob two fireballs at him. He moves out the way and then disappears. I feel something shove me from behind and spinning, i concentrate on forming a huge fireball, the size of a car.

I see Six cheering me on out of the corner of my eye and i throw the huge fireball at Eight. He teleports out of the way and grabs me again. He groans in pain at the fire but flips me over. We roll on the floor, trading punches and kicks. Poor Eight is getting more and more burned by me and he teleports away when it gets too much. He's weak and in a lot of pain, but most of my fire's gone now and he uses that in one final push of strength. Shape-shifting into a huge lion, he pounces on me and holds me down. I try to burn him some more, but he endures it for the three seconds it takes to hold the person down and officially win.

"Eight wins" Nine announces quickly. Probably hoping that Eight isn't too injured. I extinguish my fire immediately and Eight collapses on the floor in human form, groaning in pain and covered in burns. I grab his hand and focus my healing energy into it. Soon he begins to get better and open his eyes.

"Glad you're on my side" Eight mutters sitting up. I grin at him. Nine, Six and Ella are packing things up for the day. They know Eight will be all right, so they're not worried. Marina has rushed over and healed some of his other burns. Together we clean up Eight's injuries.

"Sorry about that..." i say. Eight shrugs and laughs when he sees Marina's face. She's glaring at me big time and i smile innocently at her. She narrows her eyes and focuses on healing the last burn on Eight's cheek.

I stand up and stretch. Eight is completely healed and leans forward to gently kiss Marina, probably to reassure her and stop her from trying to kill me. She kisses him back and i look away, a pang in my chest. I wish Six and i could be like that, but then i berate myself. I'm with Sarah not Six. The thought of Sarah makes me feel happier immediately and i leave the room, intending to spend time with her. Even then, though, i still don't miss Six's look of pain when i leave.

Xxx

Adam

Five has been reading that damn book for the last couple of days. Her initial fury about Setrakus' betrayal to her planet has worn off and now she's just determined to find out what happened. She's been making notes but won't let any of us see them. She says she'll tell us what' going on when she's finished reading it and I can't be bothered to fight with her about it.

We're all in my room, the one i share with Five. Sam and i are lounging on one of the beds, watching an American shows about nerds called the Big Bang Theory. We both find it hilarious; especially when they make 'scientific' statements about space that are totally wrong. If only humans knew the real story about other planets. Malcolm is typing up a summary of all the Loric words that we know of and their meaning. An advantage of that book is that we can use it to translate the other papers.

"I'm done" I turn to look at Five who is stretching her arms above her head. The book is shut in front of her. I switch the TV off and Malcolm pulls his chair over to the bed. I look at her impatiently as she enjoys our suspense.

"Well?" i ask. She grins and gets up to the coffee machine. Sam and i roll our eyes at each other. She prepares it and then comes to join us again. I wrinkle my nose when i see the pure black liquid; i've tried coffee the way she likes it and it tastes like fuel it's that strong. She sits down and begins.

"It's a long story. Basically, the trouble for Lorien began around 500 years ago, in the first ever Loric War" i look up stunned. I didn't know Lorien ever had conflict; the people were supposed to be peaceful. But then again Five is Loric and i wouldn't use un-warlike to describe her; more like mentally disturbed. She scowls at me and i realise she must have read my mind. I smile innocently at her and gesture for her to carry on.

"There were ten elders of Lorien in the year 7002 (remember Lorien's a lot older than Earth), whose names are all here. This book was written by Loridas, the last remaining elder and he wrote it when the other's died. A lot of this book is political shit but i copied out the sections that are important. It's from his point of view so we know exactly what happened at that time. It's almost like a story"

She hands me the papers to read. Sam and Malcolm lean over my shoulder at first and then realise they'll have to wait until i've finished reading because Five's handwriting is not that neat. I begin to read the notes.

**At the beginning, there were the ten of us. We were wise and powerful; no one could beat us, with words or with sword. Each of us represented some different aspect about the Loric.**

**There was wise Pittacus, cunning Terentia, gentle Briseïs, strong and brave Aias, kind Marco, fair Tullia, creative Irina, impulsive Arya, charismatic Loridas and ambitious Setrakus.**

Figures. They all labelled themselves. They should be called 'The Ten Elders of pure arrogance'. Much more fitting.

Five takes the papers away from me. In answer to my questioning look, she says "There's too much to read. Also, you'll get too confused because you have to read the whole book to fully understand. I'll have to explain". Malcolm, Sam and i make ourselves comfortable.

"In 7002, things were going wrong between the Elders. The minor ones, Briseïs, Marco and that lot got on well, but the major three didn't" she begins.

"Major three?" Sam asks. I nod; she lost me there too. She smiles and takes a sip of coffee.

"Pittacus, Setrakus and Terentia. They were all siblings" my mouth drops open in shock. Pittacus and Setrakus were siblings?! But they're enemies!

"They hated each other from birth. Setrakus was the oldest, but he was academically stupid and didn't have great manners; basically he was a crap politician. Pittacus could charm anyone and anything. He's described as being like an angel" she rolls her eyes.

"And Terentia was as sharp as a knife. Basically, she was the clever one and always got Setrakus into trouble. He had a rotten childhood, always being over-shadowed by his siblings. It didn't help that he wasn't mentally stable" she finishes. I can understand that. I was always in Ivan's shadow, always the weak one.

"But wait, weren't the Elders the original Loric?" Sam asks, confused.

Five nods. "The first Loric with legacies. The rest were pretty much human, except they could live for longer. Anyway the ten Elders were born and when the world discovered their legacies, they worshipped them and made them rulers. When more children were born with legacies a couple of years afterwards, the Garde/Cepan system began"

"How old were the Elders when they were anointed?" Malcolm asks, curious. I shudder, imagining being the leader of a planet at ten.

"15, when they gained the official post. After that they were all sent to a kind of boarding school until they were old enough to fully govern. Unfortunately for Setrakus he was still the worst and still in the shadow of his brother" she sighs and looks down.

"But Pittacus wasn't such a saint as we all believed, well not in the beginning anyway. Setrakus fell in love with one of the elders, Arya but Terentia, who was a complete bitch, wanted him to be humiliated. I've no idea why, probably petty revenge. So she asked Pittacus to go out with Arya, which he did, but because he was also in love with her. It was once more the situation of the better brother. Eventually Pittacus and Arya even got married. Apparently, Setrakus was broken-hearted and disappeared for weeks, before reappearing. The sad thing is, nobody really cared what had happened to him"

"After thousands of years of ruling together, Setrakus decided he'd had enough. Over the years, he'd trained and become stronger and deadlier. His legacies were terrible and he became a cruel man, abused by everyone he met. You've gotta feel sorry for him really. The others rejected him, because of his unwavering ambition. Also, his undying love for Arya meant that seeing her every day with Pittacus killed him inside" she says, drinking the last of her coffee. I feel conflicted; nobody should be treated like that but he didn't have to destroy a planet in revenge.

"So yeah, 500 years ago, Setrakus travelled to Mogadore for diplomatic reasons. But he grew close to the immortal leader, Mogadorus Set. That's why they're called Mogadorians; they take it from his name as he was the first mog. Shame he couldn't die really. Anyway, Set saw Setrakus' pain and told him to take the throne from Pittacus, who was head elder. Setrakus was so twisted and cruel at this point, he agreed. But first he had to make the elders mortal"

"By killing another elder" Malcolm said, sadly. Five nodded sadly and looks down at her hands.

"He killed Arya, in a twist to get revenge and to hurt his brother. He sacrificed her, by cutting out her heart. Ironic really. She cuts his out emotionally but he does it literally. However, in order for him to remain immortal, he ate it" i recoil in disgust and stare at her shocked.

"That's where all the myths are from about eating hearts and becoming immortal or beautiful or whatever. Anyway, when the other elders found out, they literally went mental. Especially Pittacus. Setrakus had killed his wife and he wanted revenge. They all fought Setrakus in a huge battle and three were killed: Irina, Tullia and Marco. In the fight, Pittacus gave Setrakus that purple scar around his neck" i nod and look away. Maybe Lorien wasn't so perfect after all, if all this conflict is anything to prove.

"Setrakus fled to Mogadore, badly wounded. He killed Set in anger that his plan had failed and then took on his position as leader. However, the others believed he was dead. They knew they were mortal now and created a spell so that heirs would be born once they had died. Only Loridas remained because he could change ages and therefore never die. 500 years later, we were born" she says with a grin.

"Why 500 years? Why not 20?" Sam asks.

"Because Lorien sensed a threat. Setrakus had taken that long to recover and then spent all those years planning revenge. We were born to defeat that threat" she replies. Sam nods but something else doesn't fit for me.

"But Mogadore attacked for resources" i protest. Five nods and sighs again.

"I'm guessing that's what Setrakus told the mogs at first. And it's true they did need resources, which would help persuade the mogs to attack. But he must have also told them that we were planning to destroy Mogadore and that as a defence strategy, they had to attack first" i nod and lean back stunned. It all makes sense.

Five looks down and sighs sadly. "Don't get me wrong. Before Setrakus went to Mogadore, Lorien was peaceful and calm; a wonderful place to be. The only conflict existed between the elders, but to the people everything was perfect. Nobody was involved in Politics so nobosy knew the issues"

There's silence for a moment before i speak up.

"What a perfect revenge, for him to know Loridas is watching the demise of his planet because of an old enemy" i said. "Setrakus must have been annoyed the others couldn't see it"

Five looks up and frowns. "But i think they can. I think that part of them lives in us. That's why Setrakus is so desperate to kill us; he knows the others are still fighting inside of us. Lending us strength, helping us control our legacies."

Malcolm looks up at her seriously. "How can you be sure they're still alive?"

She looks down, doubtful. "Sometimes when i was in extreme danger and thought i had no chance of escape, it was like someone else controlled me or my legacies until i was safe. At first i just thought it was adrenalin but soon i began to think differently. Also, there's sometimes been stuff i just know, without knowing how or why i possess that knowledge" she explains.

I smile. "Which means that all the others could come back to life!" i say, hopefully. Then Setrakus would have no chance of winning. Five shakes her head though.

"No, just Pittacus. He lives on in one of the Garde and when he has full strength, he will return and help us win. The others will never live again, in fact they're not even alive, we've just been given their knowledge. Unfortunately, we can't access it at whim" she says confidently. Then she smiles wryly. "Another thing, i just know"

I grin and lean back. "So basically, you guys possess a small part of a dead politician, Pittacus is gonna be alive eventually and Setrakus is pretty pissed at him" i conclude. Five laughs and chucks a pillow at me.

"Pretty much" she replies.

* * *

So, i hope you enjoyed my version :) btw those aren't the names of the elders; i used them from my history class :D

Please review!


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies :(

Hi Guys!

Thanks for all the awesome reviews :) they really help me write this story and i love receiving them :D

So read, enjoy and please review!

* * *

Marina

"Come one Eight! You can do better than that!" i call back to him, as he tries to keep pace with me. We're on the trail around Lake Michigan, jogging. I can run so much faster but then i would give myself away, so instead i maintain a steady sprint. I love running; it's the one bit of training i actually enjoy but that's probably because i'm good at it.

It's quite empty and i assume it's because of the cold weather and strong wind. I slow down and stop altogether, waiting for Eight, with my hands on my hips. I'm only wearing leggings, tank top and a hoodie, but the jogging has kept me warm. I see Ella and BK also running together, though a lot further behind. Eight reaches me and scowls.

"I can't run that fast!" he accuses, trying to catch his breath. I grin at him and ruffle his hair, as he's bent over with his hands on his knees. He bats my hand away and i pout.

"Awww, did i upset you?" i tease. I've never been this light-hearted before in my life and i'm enjoying it. He grins and stands up straight, taking a hold of my hand.

"Yes. I'm deeply wounded by your cruel actions. Now you must apologise" he replies, failing at trying to be serious. I laugh and lean forward, kissing him. He starts to kiss back, when i pull away and slip out of his arms.

"Oh no! If you want a proper kiss, you have to earn one" i announce, running backwards. He groans but then runs forward towards me. I grin and turn around, running away quickly. We do this for a couple more minutes, me running and him chasing, when suddenly he appears in front of me. He grabs me and pulls me close.

"I win! Do i get my prize now?" he asks, cheekily. I slap his arm.

"You cheated! You're not supposed to teleport. And people could have seen you" i accuse. He shrugs and leans down, kissing me despite my protests about him cheating. I admit, my self control doesn't last very long.

"It's worth it" he mumbles against my lips. I wrap my arms around his neck and begin to kiss him back, when we hear a gunshot and a terrified scream.

Ella.

Adrenalin pounds through my veins in an instant and without thinking, i race back for her. There are agents and mogs surrounding both her and BK, who has turned into a beast and is protecting Ella. I stop a couple of metres away and using telekinesis, i fling three officers away from Ella. She sees me and runs behind me. Eight teleports next to us.

Mogs run forward and fire at us with their cannons, but i direct the blasts away from us. Eight teleports away and reappears, next to them. He smashes one's skull and grabs the gun, chucking it to me. I snatch it and shoot the other two before they can hurt Eight. Ella grabs a stone and chucks it at an agent. It hits his nose and blood immediately gushes from it.

"Nice shot Ella!" i shout. I continue to mow down mogs with the gun, when it runs out of ammunition. Before i can grab another, something rams into me and i fall to the ground. My head whacks the concrete path and i taste blood. The agent who rammed me aims a gun at me but i roll out the way as he fires a shot. I stand up, quick as a flash, and punch him in the face. He falls to the ground, unconscious. I grab the gun from him and stand up.

I look over and see Eight has pretty much killed the rest of the mogs and there's just the agents left, when there's another scream from Ella. An agent has a knife pressed to her throat and blood slowly trickles down. I freeze and stare, horrified.

"Drop the gun and we won't hurt her" the agent says slowly. Ella shakes her head bravely, but i can't leave her. I lunge forward and using telekinesis, rip the knife away from Ella's neck, when pure agonising pain rips through me. It feels as though i'm burning alive and i fall to the ground, feeling my muscles twitching uncontrollably. I can't help the cry that escapes my lips.

Some small part of my mind that's not overcome by pain, tells me i've been tazered. The rest of me doesn't care.

The pain stops and i lie on the ground, dazed. I hear Eight call my name out and i try to get up, to continue fighting, but i can't. I'm too exhausted. I look around and see Ella in handcuffs, sitting on the ground. Tears pour from her eyes and she tries to speak through the gag in her mouth. I feel pure anger that they've tied up a twelve-year-old and that sends me straight to my feet. An officer lunges for me but i grab him and throw him to the ground. My muscles protest violently, but i have to protect Ella.

Suddenly, I'm grabbed around my throat whilst another taser is pressed to my stomach. I groan at the pain and collapse into the officer's arms. I fall to my knees and can barely move as three pairs of handcuffs are strapped to my wrists. They stuff something in my mouth and tie the rest of the gag around my head, tightly. I can't move or talk. A gun is held to my head.

"One move and she dies!" the officer holding the gun shouts. Eight's head whips around and he stares at me in horror. Whilst he's distracted, another officer grabs him and handcuffs him. I want to scream at him to run, to get the hell out of here, but he's too loyal and remains still, whilst he's tied up.

He doesn't move so that they don't hurt me or Ella. That act almost brings tears to my eyes.

The man grabs my arm and hauls me to my feet. I'm dragged down the path towards an FBI van. I try to struggle as much as possible and drag my feet, but in the end, the guy throws me over his shoulder. He chucks me into the van when we arrive. I land in a sprawl and try to get up when Ella lands on me. She looks scared but doesn't make a noise as we're grabbed by another agent and sat down on a metal bench. Our feet are clipped to the floor.

Eight is the last one to be strapped in and he looks furious. However, there's definitely some fear in his eyes. I try not to be too scared and feel a flash of hope when i realise BK escaped. Hopefully, he'll get to the others and they can rescue us. For the meanwhile, i can try and use compulsion on the agents, even though it's not very strong at the moment.

A woman enters and the doors are barred shut. I recognise her and fury races through me. It's Agent Walker from the New Mexico base. She walks over to a box and pulls out three needles, filled with a colourless liquid. She walks over to Ella, grinning at her attempts to get away. She grabs Ella's arm and injects the substance into it. Ella goes horribly pale and slumps back. I watch, horrified.

The woman then turns to me and before i can do anything, she stabs the second needle into my skin and plunges it down. Immediately, i become woozy and weak. I also lean against the wall and simply stare at Agent Walker. My legacies are gone; i can no longer read minds! She then injects Eight and he has the same horrified expression on his face. We stare desperately at one another; how will we escape?. Agent Walker speaks a small command to the driver and the van starts. She sits back down and looks at us, stroking her gun.

"So. How do you like our new development? An anti-legacy drug, developed by the Mogadorians. Rather impressive, i must say" she muses, a smug look on her face. I want to wipe it off but at this point i can barely keep my eyes open.

"Don't worry, it'll wear off eventually, but we'll keep injecting you, so you won't know the difference" she says laughing. Another man laughs and then leans forward towards us. He removes our gags and then pulls a leather strap over our forehead, so we're pinned back. But at least we can talk.

"Where are we going?" i ask. Thankfully, my voice doesn't shake and i sound quite calm. Walker sneers at me.

"To hell" the men laugh at her 'joke' and i find myself losing the battle against not feeling scared.

"How did you find us?" Eight asks, stiffly. He's furious, i can feel him tense next to me. But the drug has weakened us and we won't be able to free ourselves now.

Agent Walker laughs and leans forward. She grins at us and looks at us, expectantly. I realise then that she has information that will shock us to the core.

"Haven't you guessed yet? I thought you were supposed to be clever. You have a traitor, a spy"

Xxx

Five

I stand on the balcony, looking out to the stars. It's dead at night and Adam is snoring back in our room. But i can't sleep; i keep thinking about what happened to the Loric Elders. The true story must have never been told to the public otherwise Setrakus might have had some more support. I can't help but feel a tiny bit of pity for the man he was before he became a monster. I squash that and focus on my anger, instead. It's easier to deal with.

And then there's something else. Each of us nine were supposed to take after an elder; to gain their legacies, except we would be stronger. I look at the list i've made of the elders and their legacies. Only two have mind control: Setrakus and Terentia. Neither i particularly want to take after; Terentia was a cruel bitch who liked to torment her brother and Setrakus is my enemy, who destroyed Lorien.I have a feeling who i take after but i really don't like it. I decide to ignore that too.

I sigh and lean my elbows on the railing. I wonder where the others are now; if they're looking for me at all or if they don't care. I berate myself. Of course they care; they just need to be careful and take their time.

I look up at Lorien and smile at the thought of it becoming stronger. There's definitely hope, especially if Pittacus will break from his heir and return to us. I feel better and turn back to my bed to sleep.

Xxx

I'm dreaming. I'm standing on a path by a huge lake. I'm in America, that i'm sure about. A city, filled with sky-scrapers and thousands of buildings stretches out behind me. Chicago. I could never forget that place. I look around, suspicious and waiting for someone to show themselves.

I've had dreams with Setrakus before and they were terrible. I felt like i was in constant danger, but in this dream, i feel safe, secure. As though someone is protecting me. I have a vague suspicion Lorien is sending me this dream, for what reason i don't know.

Shaking my head, i focus on a couple of teenagers who have appeared. Immediately, i know this scene is in the past as their bodies flicker, as though they're not real.

"I win! Do i get my prize now?!" the teenage boy asks. He's tall and muscled, with tanned skin and curly black hair. He looks at the girl in his arms, with adoring eyes and i feel my own eyes roll at that. Love in the war. Really? I focus on the girl and see she is tall and slim, with brown hair and dark brown eyes. She laughs at him, amused. They're some of the Garde, i'm sure of that. They continue to talk and i wait for something to happen. Because that must be why i've been sent this vision, to see what happened to them.

The boy leans down and kisses her when there's a scream. Immediately, i'm pulled further down the path and see a young girl with red hair, being pushed to the floor by an agent. The brown-haired girl suddenly appears and throws a couple of guys around, away from the ginger. I watch intently as she and the boy try to fight off the agents. I acknowledge that the guy is a good fighter and the girl is pretty determined.

But things go wrong. The older girl is tazered, twice, and the boy gives in to stop her from being killed. They're all seized and loaded into a van. I see an Agent talking to another man but i can't hear the words. I'm so frustrated; i need to know where they're being taken so i can recue them. As if the dream knows that, a voice echoes in this dream-world.

"Pennsylvania"

That's where they're being taken. Pennsylvania. Before i can consider the logistics of travelling there in less than a week, i'm pulled away, this time to a motel room, somewhere outside Chicago. I see other teenagers there, looking worried and leaning over a map.

The Garde see me and look up. A tall, ripped guy with black hair stands up and says something. I can't hear him and feel myself fading away. Someone is waking me up. Another guy with blonde hair stand up and continue to talk but still i don't understand. With a huge effort, i try to break away from the hands that are trying to pull me back from them.

"Go to Pennsylvania!" i shout and then i'm dragged away into darkness.

Xxx

I wake up, drenched in sweat and shaking. Adam is leaning over me, his face concerned. I shoot up out of bed and immediately begin to get dressed into combat clothes. We must save the Garde and get to Pennsylvania. We have no choice. Adam grabs me and stops me from pulling my coat on.

"Five! What's going on!" he says, worried. I shrug him off and continue to get ready, explaining while i pack up.

"Two of the Garde have been captured with a human child. They're taking them to Pennsylvania. I then saw the rest of the Garde and warned them of the threat. We'll meet them there; there must be a small base" i say. I grab the papers, that have been filed to make it more orderly, and shove them into a duffel bag along with the book and Malcolm's laptop.

Adam sighs and walks to the hotel phone. He calls Malcolm and updates him. By this time, i'm done and i sit impatiently on the bed, my rucksack at my feet. I'm excited at the prospect of another adventure and battles with the mogs. However, at the same time, i'm worried for the Garde who were captured.

Half an hour later, we're in the car, another stolen one, racing for Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, we won't get there for a couple of days but it's better than not doing anything. Malcolm is driving again, whilst Adam and i sit in the back.

"Five, even if we get to Pennsylvania in a couple of days, where's the base? And we can't seriously take out a whole base of mogs and agents" Adam says. He's been against the whole rescue mission from the beginning and i can see why. It's suicide.

"I know, Adam. But we have to try" i reply.

I stare out the window at the racing countryside. The Garde will be ok.

They'll have to be.

* * *

So, how do you think the spy is? Clue: most of you guys will be pleased :D

So please review!


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies

Hi guys!

I absolutely loved the _huge_ amount of reviews i got for the last chapter; i think you guys prefer the cliffhangers :) Please continue to review because i love reading them :D

Secondly, the timing of the next couple of chapters will be confusing so i'll just give you a heads up. John's POV in this chapter takes place immediately after Marina and co. are captured. Adam's POV is a couple of days after John's. It will soon even out so don't worry :)

So please read and review. Hope you enjoy this!

* * *

John

"This is crap, who wants pizza?" Nine says as he stands up and heads towards the kitchen. Whilst i agree the TV show we're watching is terrible, we only had lunch two hours ago. How can he want pizza?

"Guess the diet's not going well" Six calls out to him. He laughs and returns to us, a plate of cold pizza in his hand.

"Are you serious?! Have you seen my abs of steel?" he says, grinning. He puts the plate down and lifts his shirt up. He _has_ got impressive muscles, but still he doesn't need to show us all the time. Six whistles and Nine looks pleased, especially when he sees my face.

"Hey, looks like Johnny is jealous. Don't worry, you can always take steroids and then you'll get there" he says. I roll my eyes and flip him off. He laughs and throws himself down on a sofa. He puts his feet onto the coffee table.

"Well, _i_ think that too many muscles just make up for a lack of brain cells. It's simply a distraction" Sarah counters. I grin and laugh at the expression on Nine's face. I kiss her on the cheek, as she's sitting next to me, and she smiles up at me. My heart flutters.

"Look at that! Nine's speechless!" i say gleefully. He glares in mock anger and is about to retort, when BK runs into the room, barking and snarling. He has a wound in one of his legs and blood is trailing behind him.

"BK!" Six cries out and we all run over to him. I place my hand on my leg, allowing my healing legacy to take over.

"What happened?" Nine asks. All sign of a joke is gone and he looks serious. I notice Marina, Ella and Eight are nowhere to be seen.

_We were attacked by the Lake by agents and mogs. We would have won but there were simply too many. I left soon after to get you guys but the others have been taken. _BK explains. He's snarling and Six looks up confused.

"Well?!" she asks, desperate to find out what happened. I lean back, now that BK has been healed.

"Marina, Ella and Eight have been captured by mogs" i explain. Sarah pales and sways and I wrap my arm around her shoulders. Six stands up, determined.

"We have to save them!" she announces. But before she can do anything, Nine shoots up and grabs her arm.

"No! It's what they want! We have to leave, at once. We will save the others, but i bet we're in danger too. They'll be sending another team here!" he says. I see the sense of his words and admire how he can remain this level-headed despite our friends' capture. I nod and stand up.

"Nine's right, for once" he narrows his eyes at my dig. "We're the target now, Marina and the others will have to take care of themselves!" i say. It's cruel but necessary. We can't all be captured; otherwise the mogs will win and only Five will be left. And she/he couldn't last long without us all dead. Six nods and we go to pack up.

In ten minutes, the whole place is completely packed up. The cameras have been switched off and the code on it is so complex that only Nine can activate them. The US Government can't outwit Sandor, even when he's dead. We've grabbed as many weapons as possible and are in the elevator, about to go down. Nine looks around sadly one last time and then the doors shut. I wonder if we'll ever see this place again.

We get to the garage as quickly as we can and head straight for the Land Rover. It'll last the longest out of all of them. Besides, we wouldn't make a subtle escape in a red Ferrari. Nine jumps behind the wheel and Six sits next to him. Sarah and i slid in the back. We back out of the garage and hit the road. I hide a shotgun under my bag.

The roads are as busy as usual and we fit in almost immediately. Nine relaxes when we get further away from the John Hancock building. I lean back and reach out for Sarah's hand. She smiles at me, but she still looks shaky and pale. I assume it's because she's a good friend to Marina and is worried about her.

"Where will we go now?" i ask. Six looks back at me and doesn't even seem to care that i'm holding Sarah's hand. That's how serious the situation is; we don't get distracted by the other.

"Probably go to a motel and figure our next move" Nine says. I nod and the car falls silent. We drive further and further away from the one place we all agreed was home.

Xxx

We arrived at the motel an hour ago and ordered just one room. None of us want to be separated again. Sarah is asleep on one of the two beds and the rest of us are peering over a map. We're only a short distance away from Chicago, but until we know where Eight and the others have been taken, we're pretty much stuck and go can't go too far away.

"This is ridiculous!" Nine groans and he flops down onto the bed. BK growls as he's woken up by the movement; he's been on edge since we lost the others. I nod and run my hands through my hair. Even Six has lost hope.

"I can't communicate to Ella and distance was never a problem so..." she trails off, completely confused. We all look around, lost as to what to do.

Suddenly, there's a rushing noise, almost like water, and a girl appears in our room. She's surrounded by grey fog. But she's not real, just a flickering form. She's small and skinny, with black hair and tanned skin. She's dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. She looks around, confused and a bit annoyed.

We all stare at her, stunned, for a minute and then begin talking.

"Number Five? Where are you? We need to meet up" Nine says jumping up. The girl's head snaps to him but she doesn't seem to understand him. I stand up too.

"Our friends have been captured. We need your help. We're outside Chicago!" i yell, hoping she can hear that. She shakes her head frustrated and then flickers more violently, as though she's being pulled away by something else. I look at Nine and Six alarmed, when she lunges forward as though trying to escape something.

"Go to Pennsylvania!" she says desperately, a thick accent in her voice. She's then pulled backwards and she disappears.

I stand there stunned, unsure about what i just saw. Sarah is waking up on the bed and looks up at me with bleary eyes. Nine's mouth is open.

"She's hot" he says. Six hits him on the arm and glares at him.

"Seriously, that's what you're thinking!" I ask, exasperated. Sometimes he can be so mature and in control and then other times, he can be a right idiot. He shrugs at our looks.

"She said Pennsylvania" Sarah says, interrupting us. We immediately turn serious again and look at one another.

"I guess that's where we go then" i say, folding up the map. Nine grins at my look of resignation.

"Gotta love a road trip, Johnny!" he says. I roll my eyes and collapse onto the bed. Nine sits next to me and throws his arm around me. Immediately, i'm suspicious. Six eyes Nine for a second and then shrugs.

"Nice to know you're open to experimentation" she says. I laugh as she goes to shower. Sarah has fallen back asleep on the bed. Nine rolls his eyes but turns to me and i see a serious light in his eyes.

"Sweet. But what's going on with you recently? And don't say nothing, because i know something's up" he says. I'm surprised when i see his actual concern for me. I sigh, not really wanting to tell anyone but at the same time, i just want to spill everything. In hushed tones, i tell him about Six and i. He seems surprised and leans back against the wall.

"What should i do?" i ask him, genuinely interested to see what he thinks i should do. He sighs and looks at me, pitying.

"Dude, i don't know. You've gotta make a choice but hell, i'd have a hard choice choosing between the two as well. Good luck with that one" he says, a slightly dreamy expression on his face. I stare at him.

"I bared my soul and _that's_ what you say?!" i ask, exasperated. Then i start laughing. He looks at me and then he joins in. We just sit there laughing, despite everything.

And it feels great.

Xxx

Adam

We're _still_ driving to Pennsylvania and we'll be travelling for a couple more days. I've begun to learn how to drive and i'm doing a good job. Well, i think i am. Sam says i'm too reckless but Five says that it's awesome driving recklessly. I worry about her at times.

Five explained her dream where she saw the Garde. Sam said the 'girl who glares more than me' was Six. That was Five's description of her, not mine. There was also a blonde guy, who is Four/John and a ripped guy who is Nine. Nice to know we have people with muscle on our side. We'll need it against the mogs.

Sam doesn't know the other two, who were taken, but it doesn't matter; they're still the Garde. Apparently, Five managed to tell Four and co to go to Pennsylvania, so we'll get back-up before we attack. Which is great news.

"Any idea where the base could be?" Five asks Malcolm. She's drinking, yeah you guessed it, coffee. She has an addiction to that stuff. She sticks her tongue out at me and i realise she read my mind. Again. She really doesn't understand privacy. Malcolm looks up from his laptop and shakes his head.

"Not yet, but there are a lot of places it can't be. I'm going to narrow it down by that" he explains. I nod and concentrate on the road. There's a small silence, until Sam interrupts it.

"So, favourite colour and why?" Sam asks. I look at him in the mirror, surprised. Why does it matter? He sees my look and shrugs.

"If one of us dies, i want to know more about you guys" he explains. Morbid. Five smiles and nods, though.

"Good a reason as any. Hmmm... my favourite colour has to be blue" she says. I look at her.

"I would have thought red, you know, for blood and violence" i tease. She shoves me and laughs.

"Nope blue. It's a peaceful colour and reminds me of Lorien. Probably because of our blue pendants" she explains and she pulls out her Loric pendant. I nod, thoughtful and then consider my own.

"My favourite is yellow. It's a happy colour" Sam says. Yeah, i can see that. He's almost always happy, despite the situation. Even after his dad 'died' he could make jokes, though they were terrible.

"Ummm, i like brown. Your mother's eyes are brown" Malcolm admits, blushing. Five rolls her eyes at the expression on Malcolm's face. Sam grins, probably happy that his parents still love each other after all this time. I suppose it is quite sweet.

"Adam?" Five asks me. I look out of the window and consider.

"I never had a favourite colour. It's not really a mog thing; it seems too girly and fluffy" i explained. Five nods but then tilts her head to the side.

"I would say though that your favourite colour would be purple. Because it's a thoughtful colour, like you. Also, only Royals could wear purple in Roman times as the dye was difficult to create and they were seen as unique. And you are definitely unique" she says. I feel a lump in my throat and i smile at her.

"Awww, why don't you guys just hug it out?" Sam asks. Five laughs and throws her arm around me in a half hug. Since i'm driving, i can't return it. She grins and then leans back. The other two in the back are laughing at my look of shock and awkwardness.

"Ok... favourite food and drink" Malcolm asks, still chuckling. I jump in before Five can answer.

"Coffee! For Five, not me. I hate the stuff. And her favourite food is steak and chips" i announce. She smiles and pinches my cheek.

"You know me so well! Ok Adam likes coke as his favourite drink and his favourite food is pizza" she says. I nod.

"What about us? Do you know ours?" Sam asks, hopefully. Five nods.

"Yep. And no, i'm not reading your minds before you ask. Sam loves cheese on toast and coffee, weird mix but wouldn't expect anything else. Bonus points for the coffee" i roll my eyes at her commentary. "Malcolm likes tea and his favourite meal is pasta. Which is also a good choice. Can't beat Italian" she finishes.

We pull over to a service station and grab a lunch of burgers and chips. Not healthy, but so good. We sit on a wooden bench in the sun. It's not warm but the sun cheers us up. We forget about the mission we will soon have to do. And in this moment, we just relax and enjoy ourselves. It won't last long.

Xxx

I'm dreaming, but instead of it being my own mind creating this dream, someone else is controlling it. Five gets a lot of these from Setrakus and Lorien so i'm not too concerned.

I'm in a mog base; i recognise the smell. It's not a big one, just built for temporary use. I guess this is the one in Pennsylvania, used as a back-up in case something happens to the one in West Virginia. And according to Sam, he and John trashed the place. The mogs are probably renovating it now.

The room i'm standing in is huge and i move forward, confident that i'm invisible. I feel safe and i remember Five telling me that this means Lorien is protecting me and i can't be seen by my enemies. I feel touched that i'm seen as a Loric now.

I reach the end of the room and freeze at what i see. A girl is lying on the table, with a needle stuck in her head. Blood trickles down her face, like tears. Computers line the walls nearby and a giant projector is above them all. A brain is being shown on the screen and i see small needles, sprouting from the main one, probing it. I feel sick when i realise that this is what's happening to the girl. I look at her closer and see she's around my age, 17. She is pale despite her tan and looks half dead.

I walk over to her and touch her hand. Nothing happens and i feel a surge of pity in me, for her pain and the terrible situation she's in.

"I'm not dead just yet" i look up and see a flicker version of the girl in front of me. Instead of this pale, beaten form on the table, she looks strong and healthy. She holds out her hand to me and i shake it. I'm surprised to see i'm almost transparent too, like a ghost, but we can still shake hands. I suppose there are weirder things going on.

"These are our dream forms" she explains and i nod in understanding. She looks down at her body and then over to two other peoples strapped in chairs. Her face turns sorrowful. I notice the others for the first time. One is a small girl of 12 and she's asleep, with tears tracks on her face. The other is a guy about my age and he's staring at the girl's body on the table with clenched fists. He tries now and then to escape, but he's not strong enough. There are signs of recent torture on him as well.

"I can't stay long" the girl says. I look at her again and see her flickering. "My name is Marina, those two are Eight and Ella. We're in Pennsylvania, in a mog base close to Pittsburgh. They're trying to get information from my brain and i'm holding them back, but not for long. You need to get here soon" she says, desperation in her voice. I nod.

"I'm Adam; i'm a mog but a friend. Five and i are on our way with friends. We'll be there within three days" i say. Three days is hopeful but seeing the look of relief on her face makes me feel glad for lying. She doesn't seem to care that i'm a mog. She must be desperate.

"I'll hold off until then" she says. She fades. "Thank you"

Suddenly, her body jumps as she wakes up and her eyes look around wildly. The monitors beep as her brain begins to process the information of what just happened. She must be blocking it out, if the expressions of annoyance on the agents' faces are anything to go by, but the expression of pain on her face is horrible. I turn my back; not bearing to see more.

I'm whisked away again, this time to a small meeting room. Inside are two people i hate and fear the most: my father and Setrakus Ra. They are talking in hushed voices.

"Seven is resisting the machine, but eventually she will give in. After that, we'll put Eight in it" my father says, confidently. Setrakus nods and leans back in his chair.

"The spy tells me that Four, Nine and Six will be here within a week. Five and the others also" he says with a satisfied smirk. "I think i shall arrange a meeting for us all and let them meet Five properly" he says. Protectiveness for my friend washes over me, but i can't do anything.

"A spy?" my father asks sharply, leaning forward. "I didn't know you had a spy" he says. Setrakus shakes his head.

"With the disappointment with Adamus, i couldn't tell you much for a while. But your performance at Paradise proved the loyal supporter you really are. We have a spy with the Garde. The traitor is weak and easily manipulated. Perfect for us" he says, with a smirk. The two men laugh and clink glasses together.

I'm in turmoil. A spy! We have enough to worry about but now this. Fury boils in me and i grab a glass that was on a nearby table. I throw it at my father and it shatters on his head. Dazed, he moans slightly and looks up at me from where he fell on the floor. Setrakus jumps up, shocked. I have become visible with my show of defiance.

"Adamus?" my father asks asks. Before i can reply or they can attack, i'm pulled away from the room and i wake up in my bed. Alone and safe.

For now.

* * *

So yeah, hope you enjoyed it! Please review!


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies :(

Hi guys!

Wow. Thank you all sooooooo much for all the lovely reviews i received for my last chapter. I'm really grateful and thrilled that you guys take the time to post me such nice reviews :D Please keep them coming as they really help me write this!

I was told in a review that my timing was off with the journey so a big thank you for pointing that out to me. Because i'm lazy and changing the times won't fit with my story, i'll keep it as it is. But in the future i'll look up journey times to make my story more accurate.

Thirdly, once again the timing of this chapter is confusing. Marina's POV takes place two days after John's from the last chapter and a day before Adam's from last chapter. Basically Adam and Five's POVs are ahead at the moment but it will soon even out.

So please read and enjoy! Don't forget to review (please)! :D

* * *

Marina

I wake up, my head pounding and my body in agony. I prop myself up on my elbows and moan as pain shoots through my body. I lean against the wall and breath quickly, exhausted by the effort it took me to get there. I look around my small cell but i'm alone. I've been in this base for a couple of days and haven't seen Eight or Ella. I hope to God they're not being treated the way i've been.

My body is covered in scars from the torture sessions i've experienced so far. I'm weak from lack of food and my throat is burning from thirst and from screaming too much. I'm proud of myself though. No matter what they did to me, i never gave up anything about the others.

A sudden flashback fills my mind and i cringe into the wall at the memory, my fingernails scraping against the concrete.

_I'm forced under a shower and freezing water beats onto my head. They shut the door on me and i stand there for a while shivering from fear and cold. The water pounds down onto my head and i collapse on the floor, weakened. I'm then dragged out and strapped to a machine, despite my feeble struggles. I can feel the tears pouring from my eyes and my fear at the inevitable pain. I think of Ella, of Eight who will going through this and i grit my teeth._

"_Where are the others?" a woman asks. To make the whole thing worse, they're all dressed in lab coats and it feels like a different world, where compassion doesn't exist. And it might as well not in this hellhole. _

_I shake my head and scream as the electric shock races through my body. My muscles spasm and i groan and shake uncontrollably when it's over. _

I shake my head and try and bloke out the rest of that particular memory. These flashbacks will not help me at all. I just have to believe that the others will come and rescue us. I would try and escape, but not only am i weak, but the drug given to us to block our legacies makes escape impossible.

I lean my head back and think about the others, when my door opens. Setrakus Ra enters; the one person i never want to see again. He visited me when we first arrived and i'm still suffering from the burn he gave me on my arm. It covers my whole forearm and is agony when touched. I press closer to the wall as he enters my cell. It's a tall room, so he fits in it easily.

He towers over me and laughs at my expression of fear. He then drops something on the floor. It's a bowl of food. Meat with bread and potatoes. A bottle of water soon follows. My stomach rumbles and my mouth waters. I stare at it desperately, but control myself to not eat. It could be poisoned.

He rolls his eyes and kicks the food towards me. "Eat" he says. I'm too scared to disagree and once the first taste has passed my lips, i can't control myself. I wolf the food down, not caring anymore about poison. It would be a good way to die, with this food in my mouth.

He sneers in disgust as i greedily eat and drink everything. When i've finished, i feel stronger and not as fragile. I'm nowhere near good enough to take him on, but i'm not completely helpless. I hope.

"I must say, i'm impressed by your vow of silence" he muses. As if to prove a point, i say nothing. He scowls slightly by my lack of response. What did he want, a thanks for his 'compliment'? He continues.

"The little girl, Ella didn't last nearly so long. A couple of hits and she was blubbering away, revealing everything. We left her after that; she's no fun" despite the fact she could endanger the others and myself, i'm glad Ella's been left alone. It makes me feel better to know she's not been hurt as badly.

"The boy, Eight, well he's lasted just as long as you. Though soon we plan on cracking him, with something... special" he says, drawing out the last word. Anger and fear sends me rocketing to my feet and we're both surprised at my show of strength.

"Don't touch him!" i snarl. He looks at me and laughs mockingly.

"Not very threatening, you'll have to do better. Maybe i should bring the girl in and introduce her to some of our methods" he muses, staring off into the distance. The fear and horror that thought causes me is huge and without thinking i lunge for him. I manage one solid hit on his cheek, when he grabs me and throws me to the ground.

His face is angry and before i can get up, he stamps on my leg, snapping the bone. I howl in pain and he jerks me up by the hair. He swings me and i slam into the wall, cracking my head. Dizzy and in agony, i fumble for a handhold as i slide down to the ground. He laughs at my face and grabs me once more. He throws me once more to the other side of the room and i collapse at the base of another wall, almost unconscious.

He leans forward and stamps on my ribs, breaking them. I'm crying now, begging for him to stop the endless pain. He's laughing at me; he's lost control. He jerks me up again and pushes me against the wall. He's going to kill me, is all i think as his fist comes towards my face. I'm going to die. I think of Ella and Eight and then his fist connects to my face. Everything turns black.

Xxx

I don't die, fortunately or unfortunately, i'm not sure at the moment. I wake up strapped to a reclining chair, but i'm not dead. I can only move my head and i raise it to look around. I'm still in the same clothes and i haven't been healed or anything, but something's changed. I've never been in this room before. The pain is still here, still with me. It will always be with me as long as i'm here.

"Marina!" i turn to the voice and see Ella and Eight in the corner. Eight looks as bad as i feel; covered in bruises and signs of torture. However, he still manages to look good to me and makes my heart pound that little bit more. Ella has only a couple of bruises, for which i'm eternally grateful. Both look terrified and we all share desperate looks.

I'm about to ask what's going on, when people enter the room. They're wearing lab coats and immediately, i don't like this. Eight begins to struggle in his chair.

"Not her! I'll do it! Just not her!" he's shouting at them desperately. I'm so confused; what is he talking about? They just ignore him and go to a row of computers. Then i realise next to me and the chair is a massive machine. Dread builds in my stomach.

"Hello Marina" i look up and see another woman there. She's not in a coat but instead just in ordinary clothes. She opens my mouth with force and presses something to my tongue. The world becomes fuzzier and i feel myself relax. I can still hear Eight yelling, but i wish he wouldn't. I can't hear what this woman is saying and he's making my head hurt.

As if she knows what i want, the woman gestures with her hands and i see men go up to Eight and gag him roughly, punching him in the process. I frown at the way they treat him, but can't find it in me to protest. It's too much effort.

"Do you want to help us Marina?" the woman asks. I find myself looking at her adorably and nod, eager to please her. Some small part of me screams this is the drug talking, not me. I choose to ignore it.

She smiles at me and i feel so much better. I feel like a puppy, trying to please its' master.

"We're going to have to clip your head, just like this" i feel clamps on either side of my head and i realise now, i cannot move at all. Fear begins to race through me, weakening the effects of the drug.

"We're inserting a needle into your brain, to retrieve information. It won't hurt much" she says, smiling reassuringly. I try to smile back. She's so nice and if it won't hurt that much, then why not? I lie back and just wait.

The machine next to me starts up and I see a thick needle lowering towards me. I suddenly panic. I realise that to get to my brain, it will have to drill through my skull first. I was tricked and because of the drug, i didn't care. Tears spill form my eyes and i desperately try to shake my head, but i can't. I hear Ella shout my name and i try to reply but instead all that comes out is a choking cry.

The needle reaches my forehead and my world explodes into pain.

I begin screaming.

Xxx

Five

I'm in a motel a day away from the base. Yet again, i'm sharing a room with Adam and he is snoring next to me. I close my eyes, trying to block out the noise. Soon i begin to dream.

This time, i know it's a dream from Setrakus. It feels cold and cruel. I land in a small room, with a small table and chair set in the middle. Tea and coffee pots are there, as well as cakes and sandwiches. It's like a twisted version of afternoon tea and i'm suspicious at once. Setrakus sits at the biggest chair, an amused grin on his face.

I'm dressed in my combat gear: jeans, combat boots and a black zip-up hoodie. Thank god i'm not wearing my Hello Kitty pyjamas. That would lose me some cool points.

The three Garde i saw in my last dream stand nearby. The girl is tall (why am i the only short one!) and has olive skin and dark hair. The black-haired boy has his arms crossed and the second boy, with blonde hair and blue eyes, is looking at Setrakus confused. Setrakus sees me in the corner and grins, standing up.

"Ah! So glad you _could_ make it, Five. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. We haven't been introduced properly" he says, holding out his hand. Because two can play at this game, i walk forward and shake it. He grins in delight at me and gestures for a seat. I take it, playing along.

"I'm sorry, meeting you wasn't a priority of mine" i reply, still with that sugary sweet smile of mine. His eyes tighten and his smile drops a little at my reply. Underneath our polite manners, is a raging desire to kill the other.

"Of course; you have so much to do. But here, relax and have a coffee. Straight from Brazil and just how you like it" he taps his head, conspiratorially. I smile back and hold out my cup as he pours it, trying not to throw the scalding liquid in his face. That would be entertaining though.

"What the hell are you doing?!" the guys with black hair snarls. I smile placidly at him and take a sip of coffee. He glares at me more and i see the others do the same. Wow, talk about a friendly group.

"Having a coffee, of course. You should join us" i say to him. I try not to laugh at how his face becomes even redder with anger. Despite being an ally, it doesn't mean i can't toy with him too.

I turn to Setrakus who watches me carefully. Out of all of us here, he trusts me the least. Good.

"You were right, this is just how i like it" i say after taking another sip and i reach over and grab a small ham sandwich. I nibble on it and lean back in my chair. It's very uncomfortable.

"Cheers" Setrakus says and we toast cups. We may act cordially with one another, but our eyes are as cold and unforgiving as a snake's.

"I suppose you wanted more than just a social visit" the others have finally sat down and watch us both carefully. The smaller boy is the one who asked the question. They don't completely trust me either, judging by their minds, but i don't blame them. To them, i'm socialising with the enemy. They're just focused on strength and numbers, not the actual battle going on between Setrakus and I. Both of us can control and read minds, and we're manipulating the other as best as we can. Fortunately, I was always good at mind games.

"Yes, i wanted you to see your friends. A small reunion" Setrakus says and waves his hand. A screen appears behind him and we see the brown-haired girl on the screen. She's been strapped down to a reclining chair and has a needle inserted into her forehead. Her arms are covered in scars from recent torture. She's not moving and looks half-dead. I feel slightly sick.

"Marina!" the girl cries out, jumping up. The screen goes black and Setrakus looks at the girl waiting for her to attack. She lunges forward, until I glare at her and unleash a huge explosion of compulsion.

"Sit down!" i snap. Dazed, she does what i say and then all three Garde look at me confused. Setrakus' smile falls and he looks at me annoyed. He wanted them to attack so he could kill us. But i knew his plan the minute he showed us the screen.

"Looks like you're not the only one with persuasion skills" i murmur, grinning slyly at him. I take a sip and he glares at me. He stands and moves away from the table, his hands in fists. I smirk at the others, trying to reassure them that i know what i'm doing and then i get up too. They let me handle it and don't follow me. Good, i don't want them to mess it up.

"So, you have mind control. But do you know which elder you come from?" Setrakus asks, turning around. I go cold. I knew i was his heir the minute i discovered he had mind control, but it's still my weak point and he knows it. I try to cover up my inner horror.

I smile and nod, though we both know the turmoil inside of me. "Oh yes, i've known for _ages _that it's you" i say, trying not to grit my teeth too much. I continue, deciding attack is the best defence. And I know Setrakus' weakest spot.

"But did _you_ know that Pittacus is alive? He'll come back and gain revenge for what you did. He won't even have to work that hard to overshadow his-" i mock.

"Don't" he interrupts through clenched teeth.

"Stupid-"

"Stop"

"Ugly-"

"I said, stop!"

"Useless, waste of a brother" i finish.

"STOP!" he roars and grabs me and literally throws me across the room. I smash into a wall and fall to the ground. I lie there for a second, slightly dizzy. There's a scrape of chairs as the others get up to help, but Setrakus pins them to a wall. They struggle and the black-haired one snarls.

How sweet, they probably think i'm going to die and are trying to rescue me. Setrakus walks towards me as i stagger up. The blow to the head affected me more than i thought. I need more coffee, that'll do the trick.

"You don't know anything" he snarls. I smile at him and shake my head, one hand creeping for my dagger. He stalks closer.

As he reaches the halfway point, i grab my knife and throw it at him. It's a perfect shot and hits him, right next to his heart. Dangerous but not deadly. A warning shot.

He pulls the knife out and staggers back, blood pouring from his wound. The knife disappears and then returns to my hand.

"You will regret this Number Five, i swear you will" he says, fury in his eyes. I wave at him and smile cruelly.

"I doubt that. You better go and get that cleaned up, it's a pretty bad injury" i reply sweetly. He glares at me one last time and disappears.

The others fall to the ground, released from his hold and shoot up again. I roll my eyes and sit down, drinking the last of my coffee and eating some of the food there. Free food is always good, no matter who provides it.

"Why aren't we waking up?" the girl asks. I look over to her, assessing her. She looks strong and like she can fight but doesn't appear to be gifted in the brain department. Or maybe i'm just being a bitch.

"He's dramatic and will send us back eventually. Right now, he's just trying to freak us out. And it seems to be working on you" i reply. I see her scowl slightly but i just continue eating.

"I'm Four" the blonde haired guy says. I shake his hand and stand up, facing the others. "This is Nine" the tall guy "and Six" the girl. "Marina, or Seven, was the girl on the screen. Eight and Ella are with her" he explains. I nod.

"Where are you guys at the moment?" i ask, hoping they're close to Pennsylvania.

"A day away from Pennsylvania, you?" Nine replies. I nod, relieved.

"The same. You need to meet outside Pittsburgh; that's where the base is" They nod.

I feel a tickling in my mind and roll my eyes. "Oh come on, Setrakus! Is that the best you can do?" i ask, throwing my arms up. Immediately, the presence in my mind goes and i grin. The others stare at me as though i'm mad. Strangely enough, i get that look a lot from Adam.

"He was _trying _to influence my mind, but he just needs more practice" i say, rolling my eyes again. I go back to the table and pour more coffee. They just stare at me. I try to be nicer.

"Seriously, you guys should have some. It's not poisonous" i say, downing my second coffee. The caffeine runs through my veins and i feel much better. Adam's right, i'm an addict. Nine shrugs and grabs a couple of cakes and shove them in his mouth, all at once. I grin at him and he smirks back. Something tells me he's just as reckless as me in a fight.

Suddenly, the room starts shaking and we all fall to the floor. The table keels over and smashes. A couple of chairs fall on Nine and I but he rips them off us so i nod my thanks. Four panics slightly and tries to stand up but he simply can't. I just lie there and let it happen.

"Don't panic! We'll be waking up in a minute; this is his grand finale!" i shout out. They nod and everything starts to turn fuzzy. Nine smirks at me and shouts:

"See you at the base!"

* * *

So, hope you enjoyed it. Also, i hope it wasn't too gruesome with the whole mind exploration thing going on with Marina :) please review!


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies!

Hi guys!

Ok, first of all, wow. I have reached a _huge_ total of 108 reviews in 15 chapters! I really can't thank you guys enough and i'm very grateful for all your amazing reviews!

**Anyway, i have something very important to ask. Do you want the Cepan to return and maybe even Three and Two? I have a way for it to work and a pretty awesome storyline for it all, but only if that's what you guys what. I just thought it would make a change and i personally love some of the Cepan (especially Sandor, he's awesome with Nine). I have created a poll so you can vote there (not being biased but please say yes :D )**

This chapter is dedicated to 'the real number five' who helped me out with that suggestion!

I tried to make this one longer because i was asked in a review but it didn't really work. I promise there will be longer chapters eventually, but right now they're just a bit short. :(

Ok, this chapter takes place around five days after chapter 13. All are on the same timetable again! Yay! Although, Adam's POV is ahead by a couple of hours...

So, thank you guys all sooooooo much and i hope you enjoy this chapter!

P.S. Your suspicions will finally be confirmed about the spy...

* * *

Six

I wake up, sweating and shaking. The image of Marina being tortured really shook me up and being pinned against my will by Setrakus did not help at all. Also, Five seems like a bit of a bitch. I think of the way she easily manipulated Setrakus whenever he thought he had one over on us and i shiver. She seemed to be a cold person and i'm not sure whether i want to meet her or not. I rid that thought the minute i think it; of course i want to see her. She's one of us.

Nine is up and pacing in the room, an agitated expression on his face. I sit up and see John explaining to Sarah about our dream. She's been very fragile after Marina and the others were caught. I feel a bit of suspicion but what about, i'm not sure. I shake the feeling off and stand up.

"So, we're heading towards Pittsburgh. Can we get there today? I ask Nine. We've been very slow recently because of the constant stream of agents around the area. It confirms our suspicions about the base but it means it's taken far longer to get here. Nine nods and stretches him arms above his head.

"If we leave as soon as possible, then yeah" i nod and begin to collect my stuff together.

"Hey guys, did you see what Five did to me? When i obeyed her?" i ask, still confused by that. Nine nods and zips up his bag, slinging it over his shoulder.

"It looks like mind control, like Marina's legacy. Except Five has probably had hers for longer and has developed it more" he explains. His Cepan told him a lot about legacies and i find myself jealous about his depth of knowledge about Lorien.

I nod and finish packing my bag. Sarah is crying silently and whilst John wants to comfort her, he needs to get ready. I stop what i'm doing and look at her, aiming to comfort her myself.

"Look Sarah, i know you're worried about the others. Hell, we all are. But crying will not help at all" i snap at her. So much for kindness, Six, i think to myself. John shoots me a warning glance but doesn't say anything. He probably agrees with me.

Sarah looks down at the bed and hiccups.

"I'm sorry, i'm so so sorry" she mutters, tears thick in her voice. Alarm bells ring in the back of my mind.

"Sorry for what?" Nine has crept forward and has the same expression on his face. She sobs and presses her face into a pillow. John looks at us panicked and sits down on the bed, putting an arm around her. She leans into him and sobs into his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry" she repeats. Now i'm definitely concerned. Sharing a look with John, i turn to Sarah.

"Sorry for what?!" i repeat, my voice like ice. Nine looks at me with dread.

"I had no choice! They had my family! They were gonna kill them!" she's almost hysterical. Dread turns into fear and i lean forward and grab her by the shoulders, shaking her. My patience has run out entirely.

"Sarah! What did you do?!" i shout. She looks up at me, suddenly deadly quiet.

"They're here" she mutters.

The door explodes backwards into the room and Sarah screams with fear. Immediately, i turn around and grab a gun from the floor. Agents and mogs pour into the room, and i shoot at them with my gun. Nine and John do the same as they grabbed guns as well.

I run out of ammo and grab my sword, when a mog charges me. I easily deflect its' attempted blow to my head and instead, i knock it to its' knees. With one easy move, i behead it and it turns to ash. I use my wind legacy to blow that ash towards the agents and mogs, and they are temporarily blinded. Nine and i use that to our advantage and we destroy many in seconds.

Watching Nine with his pipe staff, i have to admit, there's a reason he's smug. He is definitely deadly and his enjoyment for killing mogs is a bonus, even if it is a bit disturbing. I ram my fist into an agent's nose and watch as he falls to his knees, clutching his nose. I can't bring myself to kill him and instead i hit him hard at the base of his neck and he falls to his knees, unconscious.

Suddenly, John cries out and Nine and i turn at the same time. He had been protecting Sarah from mogs, but she herself was the real danger. She plunged a syringe into his neck and we watch in horror as he falls to the ground, the drug taking over.

Nine lunges forward and kills the mogs that were surrounding John, protecting him. I grab Sarah and, enjoying myself way too much, punch her right in her pretty face. I hope she gets a black eye. She stumbles back, tears pouring for her eyes but i feel no sympathy. For now, i just want to deal with her but i know i can't. She can wait until later. I go back to the fight with the mogs, easily destroying them.

There are still a couple of agents left, when Nine calls out my name in a panic. Before i can react, an arm wraps around my neck and a cloth is pressed to my face. Darkness sweeps over me.

Xxx

I wake up in a van. It's bright and warm in here but i'm sitting in an extremely uncomfortable position. Obviously, being slightly kind to us would just be too difficult for them.

I realise sickened that this must be the van they used to take Eight, Marina and Ella to Pennsylvania. A leather strap is around my forehead and i'm handcuffed to the bench. I try to pull my wrists apart, to free myself but i can't. I'm not strong enough.

I look over to Nine in a panic and he looks back at me, anger evident in his eyes.

"We've been given a drug to stop our legacies" he says stifly, controlling his emotions. I nod, scared and look around the van. John is awake, though still fighting the effects of this new drug and the one Sarah gave him. Sarah. I see her hunched on a bench in a corner. She has a black eye, which i'm proud to say i gave her, and she's crying silently. I don't have any pity.

"I wish you had seen Marina" i hiss at her. She looks up, startled and scared. "You know, the girl who is supposed to be your friend?" Nine and John are watching me intently, Nine nodding slightly.

"She saved your life outside that motel! And this is how you repay her, by sending her to be tortured! She was in agony and it's your entire fault!" i yell at her, fury burning though me. What angers me the most, is that i never noticed Sarah's behaviour before. That i never suspected her. She sobs further and hunches over, in a ball.

"Well, i wouldn't say that" says a cold voice. I look up and see a tall, fat man with a crooked noise. Nine recognises him and sneers.

"Agent Pretty! How nice to see you again!" he says, menacingly. I try not to roll my eyes. How can he seriously wind this guy up when we have no legacies? We're not a danger to these agents at all.

"Shut up kid!" he snarls to Nine. He then turns to me again "But anyway, we had the girl's family. We promised not to harm them if all she did was tell us a bit of information" he mocks, pinching Sarah's cheek.

"Don't touch her!" John snaps. He glares at the agent, who ever so slightly leans back. I'm just stunned. How can John support her after everything she's done to him?!

Sarah looks at him longingly and then turns to the agent. "Are they alive? Are they ok?" The man laughs at her and pats her on the head.

"Of course they're ok" he says turning away

"They're dead".

Sarah lets out a muffled cry and lunges for the agent. Before she can land a punch on him, he turns around and backhands her in the face. She stumbles, dazed, and falls back onto the bench. John's fists are clenched so hard, his knuckles are white but he doesn't say anything.

Sarah hunches over on the bench, her forehead touching her knees. Her body is wracked with sobs as she desperately tries to pull herself together. I can't find it in me to hate her anymore and i look away. Nine looks on with a pained expression and i'm curious as to why. John looks heartbroken by Sarah's sobbing but at the same time, furious by the agent's treatment of her.

We drive on in silence, only broken by Sarah when she starts crying occasionally. I don't know how long we travel, but eventually we end up at the base. The agents stretch as they stand up and i wish i could do the same. My muscles are aching from no movement.

We're marched out of the van and into the base. We're blindfolded and led down endless corridors and long hallways. After what seems like forever, but can only have been a couple of minutes at least, our blindfolds are removed. We're pushed into a cell and the door slams behind us.

"Six?" I look around and in the murky light, i see Ella and Eight. "What are you guys doing here?"

Xxx

Adam

The mood in the car is tense and nerve-wracking. We'll arrive at the base today; Malcolm was able to locate it with the information Marina gave me. I think of her and the others, chained up in that base and shiver. No one should be treated like that.

Last night, Five received another dream but this time from Setrakus. She's slightly shaken by it, especially since she confirms that she is his heir. I've tried telling her that she's ten times the person he ever was, but she didn't listen. Probably has bigger stuff to worry about at the moment.

I haven't told them about the end of my dream; i wanted the knowledge of my father all to myself, so i can be the one to kill him. But the information about the spy is too important to hide now.

I quickly recap the rest of my dream to the others. Five doesn't seem too annoyed that i hid it from her, which i'm glad about. I don't want her to be mad at me.

"A spy's not good. Not good at all" Malcolm muses. Five shakes her head and looks out the window.

"They'll be caught today then" she says, sighing. I look at her alarmed.

"Why do you think that?" i ask. She looks back at me and frowns. Ok, maybe she's a bit annoyed at me, but i can't blame her. If i had told her earlier, then she could have warned the others with the information i had.

"They're close to the base, therefore once they're caught, they have less time to escape. So the spy would have told the agents to get to them today" she explains. I groan and hit my head with my palm. We needed those guys to help attack the base!

"God, i'm sorry. I just never thought.." i say. Five sighs and pats my shoulder. She's still frowning but looks a little cheerier.

"It's ok, i get why you did it. I do, it's just... we can't afford to hide secrets anymore. Ok?" she says. I nod and look out of the window, at the fields stretching off into the distance. I wish i could be doing anything but this. I wish i was back in Kenya with One.

"What was she like?" Five asks softly. I look at her and then at Malcolm and Sam. They're having their own chat now and i'm glad; this is a private conversation for Five and I.

"Funny, brave, annoying, beautiful. She was my best friend" i say, my voice breaking slightly. All my memories of One flood back to me and i wish she was still alive, still with me.

Five looks down at her hands and then reaches out and grabs mine. "You have me" she says softly.

She's right. I'm close to Sam and Malcolm, but out of everyone here, Five is the one person i truly trust. Who i can really talk to. Without realising it, she's taken One's place and i don't even care. I wouldn't want anyone else to do that.

I smile at her and squeeze her hand. "And soon we'll have the others" i say. Instead of making her happy, she frowns and looks away. When she looks back, she has a vulnerable look on her face.

"What if they don't like me?" she asks, genuinely worried. I laugh, a surprised sound.

"Of course they'll like you. I mean you can be annoying when you read minds and your addiction to caffeine is insane, but you're a nice person. You'll be fine" i say smiling. "Besides, it's me you should worry about. They'll probably try and kill me when they see me" i joke. She grins and shoves me lightly.

"I'd like to see them try" she says, flicking a dagger up into the air and catching it for emphasis.

"Yeah, do that and you'll be friends with them for life" i say, forming a heart with my hands. She laughs and rolls her eyes.

"You're an idiot, Adam" she mutters.

I can't agree more.

Xxx

We arrive close to the base after two more hours of driving. We dumped the car half an hour away, and are now hiding outside the grounds, in a small group of trees. In front of us, lies a huge field and then in the distance, the base. It's not that big; nowhere near as large as New Mexico.

"I feel like a secret agent" Sam mutters, shifting in the dirt. I laugh nervously, trying to relax. It doesn't work.

We're waiting for Five to come back. She left 15 minutes ago to scope out the base so we know what we're dealing with. I can't help but feel hopeless. What can four people do against a place like that?

She reappears and i jump slightly, very on edge. She smiles at that but her eyes are grim. In her hand, is a rolled up piece of paper. She kneels down on the ground next to us and spreads out the paper. It's a map.

"Ok, so the base is divided into three sections: main room, prisoner's quarters and science rooms. There are small buildings around holding weapons and stuff but the bits we need to get to are inside the main building" she says pointing to the map.

I look down and see a big square room right in the middle. Five has written on it roughly 'torture room' and i grimace slightly. There's a long, thick hallway leading away from it and in that section are the science rooms. The prisoners are located upstairs above the science rooms.

"What are the science rooms?" i ask. Five snorts slightly.

"No idea. Not sure what they're called either but i say a lot of beakers and scientific equipment in them so i called it that" she says. I roll my eyes and look back down.

"Ok, here's our plan. You three need to get upstairs and free the prisoners, while i cause a distraction. No 'buts', Adam!" she says seeing my face.

"We need to split up. Sam knows some of the Garde so they will trust him, Malcolm clearly won't leave Sam and i need you to protect them" she says to me. I want to help her but i know she's right.

"You'll need to take the healing stone so they can be at full strength and not have many weaknesses" she continues, when Sam interrupts.

"What about their chests? They won't leave without them" he says. She swears slightly and nods.

I answer. "We'll get them, but once we have the others. We'll be stronger that way" Five nods again.

"OK, so while you guys go and rescue them, i'll cause the distraction. I'm going to unhook Marina from the machine; _that_ will freak them out" she says.

"And then what? That won't be enough time for us" i say. She grins at me.

"Oh, after that i'll have some fun" she says, ever so sweetly. I roll my eyes and chuckles, nervously. Adrenalin is already racing through me.

"So, we'll leave at the same time. We'll use the Xitharis right?" Malcolm asks. Five presses the stone to her forehead as an answer and charges it.

After a couple of last minute instructions, we're about to leave, when a beagle jumps out of a bush and leaps on Sam. He falls back and i'm about to help him, when i see he's laughing.

"BK" he cries happily. The dog is licking his face madly. Five and i look at each other confused.

"BK?" i ask, unsure of the name. Sam nods and sits up. The dog seems to grin at me.

"Bernie Kosar. He's John's chimaera, from Lorien" Sam explains. Five's face lights up and she gives the dog a little bow. It barks at her happily.

"Now _this_ is what we need. I'm taking him to help me cause a distraction" she says. BK goes up to her and licks her hand. She grins and strokes it.

I understand her delight. Chimaeras are powerful and deadly; we've just gotten stronger.

"OK, right we all know what we're doing?" she asks, looking round. We all nod tense and prepare ourselves. BK must have overheard the whole conversation because he growls and wags his tail. Five picks him up and turns invisible.

I wait a second and then turn to the others. I'm nervous, excited and a million other things. I hold out my hand to Malcolm, who is already invisible.

"Let's go"

* * *

So, the attack begins. Hope you enjoyed the chapter :)

Please review and please vote on my poll :)


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies

Hi guys!

Firstly, once more a _huge_ thank you for all the reviews. I love them so much and they're really encouraging for me, so thank you loads.

Secondly, there have been a lot of reviews about me restoring the Cepan. If i did restore them, not all of them would return and the Garde would definitely be more independant and more mature than they were when the Cepan were still alive. Thank you all for expressing your opinion; now you just have to wait to see what i will do... :)

Thirdly, John's POV here is just a couple of hours before Five's but they're on the same day, so it's all levelled out. :D

Btw, if you guys think Nine is more sympathetic, it's because Sarah reminds him of Maddy.

Anyway, now that's out of the way, on with the story!

* * *

John

We stare at the others in shock. Well Six, Nine and i do. Sarah just falls to the floor and curls into a ball, sobbing again. I want to comfort her but the pain of her betrayal won't let me get close to her. Instead i turn to the others.

Ella is a little bruised, but otherwise all right. Eight, however, is a complete mess. Like Marina, he's covered in scars and his muscles are shaking intensely from a recent beating. He's dirty and covered in blood, but he still manages to smile at us.

"Hey, guys. Fancy seeing you here" he says. His voice is weak, but he's still the same Eight i know. It will take more than this to break him.

Six groans and sits down on the floor. Nine and i follow. We're still handcuffed and find it awkward to settle ourselves in a semi-comfortable way.

"Sarah was our little spy. She gave us away. Us ending up here was inevitable" Six says, spitefully. Definitely still pissed with Sarah.

Eight's eyes narrow and he stares at Sarah accusingly. But he's not angry for himself, he's angry because of what Marina and Ella have had to endure because of her. And i can't help but feel the same, despite still loving her.

"Oh i see. Perhaps if she knew what they would do to us, she'd have thought differently" he says with a cold anger in his voice. I want to defend her but i can't. I see her stiffen and shudder, as our accusations hit her.

Nine speaks up. "Look guys, don't judge. We would definitely consider it if it were our Cepans" he says. I look down ashamed. That should have been me, defending Sarah. Instead, i let the others think the worst of her.

"Where's Marina?" i ask, wanting to change the subject. When i see Eight's face fall even further, i wish i hadn't asked.

"Still hooked up to that machine. She's been there a couple of days. At first we watched, but then... then i just couldn't take it anymore. I broke free and tried to rescue her but..." he breaks off and looks away. Ella reaches over and takes his hand.

"He was barely alive when they bought him in" she explains to us. I nod and look away. I see how mangled his body is and can only imagine his pain. Six looks at him with pity, as does Nine.

"So. Anything exciting happen?" Eight asks, wanting to change the subject.

"Actually, yes. We met Five" Six says. Eight and Ella perk up immediately and i smile slightly. At least Five is still coming; i just hope she's strong enough to set us free.

"What happened?!" Eight asks, hopeful and excited. Nine is still trying to break his handcuffs, but it's not working. There must be a weakening element to that anti-legacy drug too.

"Setrakus took us all for a little dream" Nine explains, grunting as he tries to pull his handcuffs. I roll my eyes at his attempts. "She seems ok, but she was more interested in winding Setrakus up than saying hello to us" he finishes, seemingly miffed at that 'major' offence. He _finally _realises the handcuffs will not break and leans back, frustrated.

"Is she coming here?" Ella asks. She's quieter than usual and a feel a burning anger at what she's had to suffer. She's only 11.

"Looks like it. I hope BK will join them; he managed to escape when we were caught" i say. Eight looks hopeful at this piece of news, but i'm not so sure. However, i can't squash his hope, not after everything he's been through.

Everyone falls into silence.

Xxx

We've been here at least an hour, when the door opens and two Agents enter. I'm blinded by the light shining through and close my eyes automatically. The door slams shut and i begin to focus on the agents. I already know who they are though. Agent Walker and Agent Purdy. Who else could it be?

"What do you want?" Nine growls. His wrists are bleeding slightly from his attempts to free himself from the handcuffs. Agent Purdy laughs at him, but Walker just ignores it.

She walks over to Sarah and i tense. I can't do anything and this feeling of helplessness kills me inside. Walker leans down to Sarah and grabs her by the wrist. Sarah doesn't resist; her eyes puffy and red. She still looks beautiful to me and i realise there was never a choice between Six and Sarah. I love Sarah too much to leave her. I'll tell her everything if we're ever freed and hopefully she'll forgive me. If she doesn't, well, i'll think about that later.

Walker pulls out a knife and Sarah begins to struggle. I cry out desperately as the knife gets closer to Sarah and i jump up. I manage to sweep Walker's feet from under her with one kick and she falls to the floor, before Purdy is on me. He grabs my head and slams it against the concrete floor. I feel dizzy at once.

"Get off him!" i hear Sarah shout. "You promised you wouldn't hurt them!" she yells. I'm surprised by the anger in her voice. Was that part of the deal, tell them stuff in return for her family but we couldn't be harmed?

"I don't know why you're surprised, they broke other promises" i hear Six mutter under her breath. I shoot her a glare; that will not help right now.

I'm hoisted up by Agent Purdy, with the gun pressed to the back of my head. He kicks my feet out from under me and i fall to my knees. He forces me to turn to Sarah.

Agent Walker grabs Sarah's arm again and with the knife, makes a big cut in her arm. Sarah begins to scream and puts a hand to her mouth, muffling it. Tears run down her face as Walker uses the knife to rummage in Sarah's arm. I'm vaguely aware i'm shouting, but i have no idea what i'm saying. Probably just Sarah's name.

Finally, Agent Walker pulls out a small tracking device from Sarah's arm and i realise they must have put it there when she was in New Mexico. By the look of surprise on Sarah's face, she clearly never knew it was there. Walker then pulls out a small vial of liquid and drips it onto Sarah's wound. She screams at the pain at first as her flesh begins to steam, but soon afterwards the wound begins to heal. A couple of minutes later, there's nothing there.

Sarah and i stare at each other desperately. Purdy whacks me again on the head and then pushes me onto the floor. I don't make a noise; the others have gone through hell compared to me. He spits on the back of my head and i want to retaliate, but i'm too afraid they'll hurt Sarah again. She's leaning against the wall stunned at what just happened; cradling her arm and crying silently. Ella is hiding her face in Eight's shoulder, shaking herself.

I sit up awkwardly and there's a silence for a moment after they've left, until Nine breaks it.

"That was interesting"

I want to hit him.

Xxx

Five

Bernie Kosar. What a terrible name for a chimaera. There must be some inside joke going on there, because no one can be that cruel to name him after a weak human athlete. Not when BK's a million times stronger.

I'm crossing the field silently with BK in my arms. For now, he's turned into a snail, which is a lot easier to hold than a dog, but a hell of a lot less pleasant. But i can't be fussy at the moment.

I can hear the others' minds behind me but i have to go first anyway, to create the distraction. Of course, someone will eventually suspect a diversion but i'm just hoping the others will be free by then.

I reach a metal fence and crawl under the huge hole i made earlier. Originally, it had been small but i'd had to make it bigger so the others could crawl underneath. I pointed it out to them earlier so i know they'll find it.

I creep through the compound, keeping my eye out for guards or mogs. It's eerily silent and i can't help but feel more on edge than i already am. I look up at the iron stairway curling up from the ground to the second level of the main building. That's where Adam and the others will go to get the others. The guards here are so arrogant in their security, which actually isn't that impressive, that they don't think to guard it more. I'm not complaining though.

I sense the others slowly climbing the stairs; i'm impressed that they've moved that quickly. I sweep my eyes around as they open the door, to make sure no guards are around. There aren't and the door shuts again as the others creep inside. Now they just have to wait until the mogs clear out to deal with me.

_We're ready Five_ Adam confirms. He's perfected this way of directing sentences to me, so it's sort of like a one-way communication system.

"Ready BK" i whisper down to the snail in my hand. _Of course_ he replies. I grin and let him go. He turns into a beagle and i become visible. Nothing happens yet but soon it will. I walk to the main entrance, where a huge iron door bars my entrance. Easy.

I form a huge boulder using my element control legacy and throw it at the door. After a couple of batterings, the door collapses inward. Alarms are blaring by now and i'm definitely on most cameras in the guard room. It's in a tower, a couple of hundred metres away but can still cause enough damage to me. If they arrange an attack, whilst knowing my every move from the cameras, that could be a problem. I focus on my earth control again, and release a small but powerful earthquake with my element control. Adam's been showing me how to do that recently.

The tower shakes, as the ground beneath it moves and then it begins to collapse. I block out the men's screams from my mind and focus on the main entrance. Agents are already appearing but BK is taking great care of them. He has transformed into a tiger and rips through the men like paper. Death is necessary here; this is a war.

I leave BK to deal with the men and run towards the main room. If BK gets into trouble he can turn into a fly or something and hide. Meanwhile, i need to save Seven from that machine.

I race to the door of the main room. A young soldier of 16 stands there, preparing to fight me. We have more in common than we might think: both very young, both fighting against impossible odds and both determined to do it anyway. He aims his gun at me but i flick it away easily. He lunges for me and i grab his arm, twisting it behind his back.

"Open the door!" i hiss in his ear. He squirms in pain and i increase my pressure on his arm. He gulps and a couple of tears slip from his eyes.

"Open it!" i snap again, a dangerous note in my voice. He nods, terrified and i grin, glad i didn't even have to use compulsion. I let him go and he stumbles slightly. His shaking hand grabs a key card and he swipes it against a small electronic machine. He then types in a small code and the doors in front of us open. I breathe a sigh of relief.

"My friends will be here soon and they won't be as nice as me, so i'd get out of here if i were you" i tell him. Despite him being an enemy, i don't want his unnecessary death on my hands. He nods and i smile at him sadly.

"I'm sorry" i say and then i race into the door. I press a button next to it and the doors slide shut.

The room in front of me is empty of people and i suspect a trap, but nothing happens. In the middle of the room, is that machine with Seven strapped to it. I race over and check her wrists for a pulse. Weak but still there. I need to switch the machine off immediately.

I turn to the machine with the horrific needle and search desperately for a power switch. I can't find anything i want, just loads of other buttons that don't help me at all.

"What are you doing?" asks a female voice. I turn and see a woman of around 30 wearing a lab coat. She's holding a clipboard and seems confused to see me.

"Take out the needle and turn this machine off!" i order her, using a lot of compulsion. She nods dazed and hurries over to do my bidding. I lean against the chair, slightly weary. I need to stop using so much power from my legacies; i'm nowhere near safe yet.

The woman types a couple of things into a small keypad in the machine and the needle slowly pulls out. I stare horrified at the blood dripping from the point. It's totally gruesome.

The girl breathes out a huge sigh, relaxing into the chair. I never noticed before just how tense she was. The woman stands back, a confused look on her face.

"Wh-what's going on?" she says again, this time totally lost. I simply punch her in the face and she falls to the ground, unconscious. Much better.

I turn to the girl again and see she hasn't woken up yet. I want to shake her awake, but i don't know if that will be good or not. _Free her first, then worry about waking her up_ i command myself. She's been strapped down with thick metal straps that i easily break. I loosen the clamp around her head and stare at her, unsure of what to do as she lies on the chair unmoving. I shrug and decide to just get to the others. Malcolm may know how to wake her up.

I lift her up and turn around, when a huge blast of mog fire hits me. Seven and i fly through the air, no control over our bodies. I smash into a wall, whilst she hits a couple of tables in the corner. She falls onto them and they crash and scatter around her. Well, if she wasn't waking up earlier, she definitely won't now.

I turn to see who fired and groan in annoyance. Adam's father stands there, mog cannon in his hands and a smug grin on his face.

"Number Five. How nice to see you again! I've been waiting a while" he says, slowly walking forwards. I sneak a lot at Seven and see that she's not stirring at all. I'm going to have to distract the General and hopefully kill him or we're screwed.

I stand up, shakily. Blood trickles down my head from a cut i received when i hit the wall. But i grin arrogantly at him. Two can play at this game.

"I know, me too! Especially after our last meeting" i say, sarcasm in my voice. I take a step forward and try not to grimace at the stab of pain my twisted ankle sends me.

_Adam, if you can hear me, but i don't see why you would, please hurry. Your father doesn't seem to like me very much and i don't think the others would appreciate a scar right now. _I plead in my mind, though i'm sure it will be useless.

The General smiles cruelly and steps forward. I pull out my knife and sword.

Round two begins.

* * *

So, i hope you enjoyed it! Please review! :D


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies!

Hi guys!

Thank you all for your amazing reviews. They are as lovely as ever and i'm really glad you guys enjoy my story; i love writing it and then receiving your reviews! Please continue because they really help me write this.

I wasn't supposed to post this chapter up until Wednesday but since you all begged so nicely, i wrote it for you for today. Bad news is, i won't be able to update until Thursday because i've got so much homework and exam prep to do :(

Thirdly, Six's POV is a couple of hours after John's from the last chapter and is the same time as Five's from the last chapter; basically, they're all in sync now.

So, please read on...

* * *

Six

John sits there silently, as Sarah cries to herself. Seeing her have that tracking device removed was pretty gruesome but i still don't forgive her. Not completely anyway, though it's clear she feels terrible about everything.

We've been here a couple of hours and nobody has spoken in a while. I feel stronger and begin to wonder if my legacies have come back yet.

"How long does it take for the drug to wear off?" i ask Eight. He's in a bad way and i hate the constant expression of pain on his face. He shrugs and then grimaces at that movement.

"Depends how many legacies you got. Marina and i were drugged more often than Ella, because she only has two. But then Marina had stronger doses than me because of mind control, so how powerful the legacy is counts too" he explains.

Nine looks up. "We all got the same dose though" he says. Eight shrugs again.

"Then some of you will get legacies sooner than others. You have a lot of legacies but not necessarily as powerful as Six's, but then she only has a few. So you two will probably get them back the same time" i nod and look away. Eight doesn't say it but his tone of voice suggests that we'll be drugged again before we can really do anything. We all fall silent again.

Suddenly, there's a loud banging noise and the sound of soldiers running down the corridor. There's panicked shouting and i look at the others hopefully. Maybe Five did get here after all and they're about to free us! I see the hope reflected on the other's faces and Nine tenses, looking forward to a fight.

It goes silent again and my hopes are all but gone, when there's the sound of a door unlocking and three people enter the room. I'm blinded by the light instantly but i would recognise the voice anywhere.

"Hey Six, John. You guys need help?" Sam says, cheekily. I can see his face now and my heart soars to see him grinning at me again. I didn't realise just how much i missed him and how worried i was about him.

"Sam!" i cry out, delighted. He grins at me and is about to bend down to free me with the key in his hand, when another teenage boy nudges him. Sam looks back at him and nods in understanding.

"Oops. Oh yeah, guys this is Adam. Look i know he's a mog but he's saved mine and Five's lives a lot and he's definitely on our side, so please don't kill him" he explains. The third person, a middle-aged man laughs.

"Or Five might kill you" he finishes. Adam laughs nervously and looks at us. I'm shocked that a mog has joined us, that's never happened before! But right now we can't be picky with our friends. I just nod and shrug; i'll question it later. Right now my priority is to save Marina and kick some mog ass.

John nods and looks at him, thrilled to see his best friend again. I think i must look the same, because Nine is rolling his eyes at us.

"While this is great and all, can we go now?!" he asks, frustrated. Sam nods and bends down to free us all. I stretch and roll my shoulders, enjoying the sensation after being tied up so long.

John is hugging Sarah and i throw my arms around Sam. He hugs me back and i inhale his scent, vowing to not let anything happen to him again. I realise now that i really like him. Oh god. Things just get worse and worse for me.

"We need to save Marina now!" Eight insists, still lying on the ground. Ella is next to him, holding his hand, a concerned expression on her face. John has moved from Sarah to Sam and both guys have tears in their eyes.

"Um, yeah, about that" Adam begins. I look at him sharply.

"Five's with her. We're not allowed to go and help until you guys are healed and have your chests" he explains, hesitantly. I'm frustrated because i desperately want to help Marina but i know Five is right. We're no help to anyone when one of us can barely stand.

"Here" the man says, holding a stone out to Eight. A healing stone. Eight takes it gratefully and presses it to his injuries. His teeth clench and he begins to turn red in his face at the pain, but his wounds begin to heal. His legs straighten out and his ribs pop back into place. It takes a couple of minutes, before his recent injuries are completely healed. His later ones will have to be healed by John or Marina but at least he can fight now. He breathes a sigh of relief.

"Right let's go grab our chests and then help her!" he says, jumping up. It's amazing how strong he looks now, despite the vicious scars on his arms. I guess he's that desperate to save Marina. We all are. I grin at him, relieved he's sort of ok, and run out to the hallway.

There are no guards at all and i'm disappointed. I've been looking forward to a good fight. Nine looks just as annoyed at that. Adam runs down the hallway, deeper into the compound and i follow, wanting to help Five and Marina as soon as possible. I don't completely trust Adam yet, but he did save us, so i'll leave it. For now.

The others follow and we reach a small room at the end. Inside, all our chests sit there, as well as Nine's pipe staff and my sword. We never had the opportunity to put them back in our chests but at least they're here. At least the mogs haven't destroyed them.

I run forward and grab my sword whilst the others grab their chests. Adam and Sam are slightly out of breath, but i am eager for a fight. I turn to face the others and see the middle-aged man, standing by the edge. He's holding another chest, not one of ours so i assume it's Five's. He also has a full rucksack slung onto his back. He slips a Xitharis into a pocket.

"Who are you?" i blurt out. I feel slightly embarrassed by how rude i sound, but i shrug it off. I have a right to be cautious. I'm desperately hoping he's a Cepan, though i doubt Five would have a male guardian.

"Malcolm Goode" he says. My mouth drops open. I thought Sam's dad had been killed by the mogs! This day is just full of surprises.

Nine has extended his pipe staff and looks at Adam, as though assessing how quickly it would take him to kill him. I shoot him a warning glance and he smiles at me innocently. I roll my eyes.

"Come on! We need to go!" Ella cries out. She's just as impatient as Eight to help Marina and i turn serious at once.

We race out of the room and down the stairs we passed earlier. When we reach the ground floor, i'm stunned. There are hundreds of mogs waiting outside double doors to what i'm guessing is the main room. I grin in anticipation and am about to race down, when the floor around the mogs begins to rumble and move. Pieces of machinery and the walls fall and kill many mogs. The rest panic and try to run away, but the rolling ground prevents them.

The ground suddenly stops moving and i stare at the damage, amazed at what i just saw. We weren't even affected by that mini-earthquake. Half the amount of original mogs have been killed and many are wounded.

"Like my work?" Adam asks, grinning slightly. I stare at him shocked.

"That was you?" i ask, confused. Since when do mogs have legacies? That cannot be good; our legacies were our main weapons against the mogs.

"Long story" Sam says and shoves Adam slightly. They grin at each other. I shrug and turn back to the destruction, eager to kill as many mogs as i can now. I have to prove myself as a fighter to this mog and show him not to mess with us.

"There's plenty for both of us" Nine mutters to me as we both tense to begin. I flash him a smile and nod.

We join the chaos.

Xxx

Adam

After my little earthquake, i'd like to say it was me who drove all the mogs away from fear. But it wasn't. Nine and Six rip through the mogs as easily as though they were air and Eight is just as eager to kill. John is spending most of his time protecting Sam, Malcolm and Sarah who also do a good job with shooting mog cannons.

Ella is also shooting down mogs with a shocking determination for someone her age but i suppose after the days she's had recently, i couldn't expect anything else. I grab a mog cannon and kill a couple of mogs, but at this point they're pretty much all gone, destroyed by the others.

Eight and John stop fighting and catch their breath. I guess they've had to work harder as they don't have their legacies. Eight grins at me and i smile nervously back. I don't know what to think of these Garde; the awesome thing about Five is that she always says what she thinks. You never have to second guess with her. Here, i can't tell if they are tolerating me or planning my death. Guessing by Nine's constant glares, i'd say the latter for him.

I run over to the electronic pad by the door and groan. We need a key card to get through and none of the mogs had one. Only soldiers have that privilege, as it's their base.

"How do we get in?" Malcolm asks. I point out the problem. He frowns and looks away.

"Isn't there usually a password system, for those who don't have a key card?" Ella asks, quietly. I look at her surprised and nod. I press a few buttons, familiar with this kind of machinery, and the screen pops up.

"Yeah, but i have no idea what it could be" i explain. The others look around annoyed.

Suddenly, there's a barking and BK as a beagle comes racing in. Ella cries out and falls to her knees as the dog charges towards her. John laughs as they embrace and BK rolls over her, licking her face madly. I grin at the scene but soon turn back to the keyboard.

Whatever the password is, it could be cryptic. I scowl and type in a couple of guesses but as i expected, they're not correct. Malcolm is next to me and also trying to work it out. Six comes and stands next to us.

"Why can't you solve it?" she asks. She's not accusing me but i still feel bad. Malcolm frowns a bit at her question but doesn't say anything.

"We don't know enough information to solve the password" i say. By now the others have realised the problem and are discussing breaking down the door. I shake my head.

"They'll be protection against that. Try and break down the door, which is impossible, and the system will lock automatically. Then we're really screwed. The only way we can get in is if we figure out the password or if someone from the inside lets us out" i say.

Suddenly, Ella pipes up. "Five's in trouble! She says we need to hurry" she says.

"Shit!" i swear. I don't ask how Ella can communicate with Five; we don't have enough time. "Can you ask her to open the door from the inside?" i ask, desperately.

She nods and concentrates, her brow creasing. She's quiet for a moment and then shakes her head.

"She can't! She says she's too busy and you're gonna have to do it yourself" she says. I wait, knowing what else Five would say. "Also, she said something else but i don't think you'll want to hear that" she finishes, giggling a little despite the situation. I crack a weary grin. Still the same Five.

I turn to the monitor, with renewed determination. I blank out everything else and think about the password. I focus on what i know, not what i don't know. It's a Government base but Mogadorian technology; therefore the mogs will have been the ones to set the password. Also, mogs will have to be able to activate the code in an emergency.

That narrows it down. Most soldiers are pretty stupid, so it'll have to be easy to remember. So something to do with Lorien or Mogadore. I type in 'Lorien' but the screen flashes a warning. Two tries left. I begin to sweat slightly, the pressure getting to me.

Ok, let's try 'Garde'. One more try. I try not to panic and i hear the others shouting at me to stop. I know what this is, i do! I just have to let my mind blank and not over think this. What would be the easiest thing for a Mogadorian soldier to remember if he were in a rush or in a panic? The name of his planet? No, too obvious, even for a mog. The current planet they're on? Again, too simple.

Then it hits me. Their commander and leader. Setrakus Ra. So obvious it's painful, even for mog soldiers, and it also reinforces loyalty within the ranks. I type in the name and almost cry in relief when the doors open. Sam whoops with joy and i let out a huge sigh. The Garde grin at me and i even get a clap on the back from Six. Maybe they will like me after all.

We enter the room and stare in shock. Mogs line the whole perimeter of the room, except for the doors. There are hundreds of them and i briefly wonder how they entered. They must have a secret entrance.

Five must have successfully freed Marina, as the machine is broken in the middle of the room. I can briefly see Seven in the corner, unconscious by a pile of tables. Eight keeps glancing at her but doesn't approach her. For now she's safe, as she's not seen as a threat.

Five is in the middle of the room, fighting my father and neither are doing too well. My father's arm is dislocated and we watch as Five grabs it and snaps a couple more bones in it. He howls and whacks her across the face and she falls to the ground, dazed. He raises his sword but she's not there. Invisible.

The others immediately attack the mogs around the room and green fire and bullets surround me. Six and Nine cry out with joy as they realise they have their legacies back and they begin to divert the bullets. They are completely deadly i'm glad they're on my side.

Suddenly Five appears in front of me and hugs me. I'm shocked at her sudden presence but i quickly return her hug.

"For God's sake Adam, you took your time!" she mutters, punching my arm lightly. She has a cut on her forehead and _a lot_ of bruises but she's grinning. She nods to Sarah and Ella who have hung back from the fighting.

"Would love to stay and chat, but just a little busy right now" she says. They just stare at her, probably overwhelmed by everything. I know i am.

"Are you running away, Number Five?! Is that what you do best?!" my father roars at her. She spins on her heels and looks at him with contempt.

"No, that's your tactic. Worked rather well in Paradise, if i seem to remember" she retorts. My father turns red and she laughs at him.

"I don't blame you" she says walking towards him. I follow; someone's got to protect her from her recklessness. "After all, you're just copying your general. Where is Setrakus? Where is the coward?" she taunts. We're now almost there.

My father is red with anger and i know Five has gone too far this time. Not only is she criticising Setrakus, who is seen as a God by the mogs, but he saw our hug and probably blames her for making me a traitor. The idiot doesn't seem to realise i've been a traitor far longer than i've known her.

My father lunges for her with his sword and she blocks his hit. They clash swords for a while, until my father performs an extremely difficult move and knocks Five to her knees. Before i can do anything, a stream of green fire hits her from another mog and she smashes into a destroyed lump of machinery. She collapses on the floor, unconscious. Blood trickles down her face.

I stare at her shocked and then without thinking, lunge for my father. I've picked up Five's sword and i swing it at his head. I don't know what chance i think i have; Five has just been knocked out by him and she's a far better fighter than me. He laughs and deflects my blow easily with a flick of his wrist. He's showing off just how good he really is.

"You know Adam, i should have always known you were going to turn out badly" he taunts, hitting me with the flat of his sword. My ribs crack and i groan in pain. His smile widens.

"You were terrible in combat classes, always the last. Ivan had to make up little excuses for you and i always let it happen but i should have just killed you when i had the chance" he says. He stabs me in the arm and i drop the sword as well as crying out in pain. I'm dead now and he knows it.

He lowers his sword, still confident in his victory. Now he will make me suffer emotionally before i die.

"Your mother hates you, you know. She can't bear the sound of your name. Your room has been completely destroyed by her. Kelly and I are fortunately still bringing the family name honour. Oh yes, Kelly by the way, asked me to promise that i would kill you as slowly as we plan on killing these Loric scum. And of course i promised" he says, triumph in his eyes. I lie on the ground, bleeding physically from the many wounds he gave me and emotionally from the words he's throwing at me.

"What about Ivan?" I ask weakly, knowing that Ivan's death will be my father's weakness. "I was the one who killed him you know. He was taken down by his weak and pathetic brother. Just shows how good he really was" i taunt. Criticising fighting ability is incredibly insulting to mogs. My father lets out a furious cry and raises his sword to finish me off. I look him in the eyes, preparing for death.

It never comes. Five must have woken up and seen what was about to happen to me. She throws herself at my father and they tumble around on the floor together. He manages to kick her off, but i stand up and grab his dropped sword, making my way towards them.

My father grabs Five by the throat and shakes her viciously as her hands fly to his hand, trying to prise the fingers away. Her body jerks around and she tries to kick him but she can't reach. His hand tightens and i think he's going to break her neck when her leg connects with his face and she falls to the ground, gasping for air.

I run over as he grabs Five's sword and as it falls towards her, i jump in front of her. The blade hits me in the stomach and i fall to the ground. We all stare stunned as my shirt stains with blood and pain begins to take over. My father starts laughing victoriously.

Fury rises in me and with my last remaining strength, i lunge forward and stab him in the heart. He stops laughing and starts gurgling, blood escaping his mouth. I watch as he tumbles to the ground, choking on his blood.

I fall back down to the ground, clutching my stomach and trying to stop the tears from escaping my eyes. My father's grasping his chest but still manages to unsteadily rise. I watch in shock; impressed that he can stand even when he's dying. A final testiment to his ability. He reaches for a dagger with trembling fingers but Five is up and places a sword at his neck, a smirk on her face. Despite knowing it is hopeless, he grabs the dagger and swings it wildy at her. With an easy swing, she beheads him and he turns to ash.

We've won.

It's over. My father's dead. I can't believe it was that quick, almost easy. I've seen him as this invincible warrior, but one stab in the chest and a swing by Five and down he goes. Dead.

Five turns to me and cries out when she sees the state of me. She falls to her knees and holds my body close to hers, pressing her hand against my stomach to try and hold the blood back. I want to say that she's been an awesome best friend and i'm glad i'm dying for her, but i'm too tired. I close my eyes when she slaps me.

"You are not dying, Adam! Ok?!" she snaps at me. Vaguely i hear her shouting to someone, but i can't focus and everything turns fuzzy.

The last thing i see is a blue pendant, hanging from Five's neck.

* * *

So, i hope you enjoyed it and i tried to make it longer! I hope i rose to the challenge 'Seven'! :D

Please review and i hope you enjoyed it!


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies...

Hi guys!

Once again, a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review my story. They're as awesome as ever so please continue with them :)

By the way, you guys should read 'Symbols in the Skin' by EnglandBabe1997. It's well worth a read and a review!

Anyway, sorry for the wait and i hope you enjoy this chapter.

Please read on! :D

* * *

Marina

The first thing i notice when i wake up is that i don't hurt anymore. Well, that's a lie, my _head_ has stopped hurting as much but my whole body still kills. But the relief of not having that needle probing my mind is huge and i might as well be pain free.

That's the second thing i notice: i'm not strapped down anywhere and i can move. I'm lying by a big group of stacked tables and i stretch slightly. The relief of stretching my aching muscles makes me smile with joy. Nothing like torture to make you appreciate the simple things in life.

I prop myself up on my elbows and look around to see that Six, John and Nine are here. They're fighting mogs a short distance away, also joined by a middle-aged man and a short teenage boy. It's not Adam, the boy i saw in my dream, but a different one. I wonder if it's Sam. The fight is intense and fierce, but it's obvious who is going to win in the end.

Ella sees me awake and crying out, she runs over to me. I try to stand up but fall back down again when i forget my leg was broken by Setrakus. I grimace in pain and try not to cry out. I can't let her see me in pain. Ella reaches me and we throw our arms around each other. The impact of her body hitting mine makes me wince but i'm so happy she's here that i don't care. We're both crying as i pull her closer to me. I bury my head in her hair and just try to forget everything that happened for the moment.

We hold each other for a while, until she pulls away. She's smiling but tears are still falling from her eyes. Her bruises are gone, for which i'm pleased.

"Can you heal yourself?" she asks, her voice breaking a bit. I've been out for days because of the needle so they might have thought it unnecessary to drug me. Sure enough, when i lay my hand on my broken leg, it soon begins to heal. It takes a little longer but i'm definitely healing.

I heal all my broken bones and the wound in my head, but i leave all the scars. I need to save some energy to heal the others. Ella smiles at me and takes my hand. I look around again and see that John, Six and Nine are still dealing with the mogs. I'm about to go and help when i see him.

Eight.

Eight hasn't noticed i'm awake yet and is steadily shooting at mogs with a cannon. I thought of the last time i saw him, shouting desperately to take my place. He's been healed slightly as well and he looks healthy and strong. I just stare at him, overwhelmed by my feelings for him. Ella sees my look and smiles.

"He'll be glad you're awake" she says, squeezing my hand and grinning knowingly. I'm about to get up to meet him, when i hear a cry. I look over to where Adam is being held by Five. He's been stabbed and she is swearing desperately, trying to keep him alive as his life bleeds out.

I stand up slowly, the world tilting wildly at first. Soon it settles down and i manage to stay upright long enough to make my way over to Five and Adam. I smile at her and sit down gratefully. I need a lot of rest and healing people is not going to help.

I ignore that thought and put my hand on his stomach, focusing my healing legacy on him. I feel the familiar icy sensation and feel the energy flow from me to him. He jerks slightly and Five watches, curious then amazed, as the wound closes up. When it's over, i sit back, completely exhausted. I doubt i'll be of any use in a fight now.

"Thanks. Thought he was dead for a moment" says Five, a small tremble in her voice. I smile and wave my hand, just relieved to be of help. Adam has started to wake up and Five is hugging him and telling him not to do something so stupid ever again. She smiles at me gratefully over the top of his head.

I stand up again and notice that by now most of the mogs are dead. John, Nine and Six are finishing off the rest, Nine having way too much fun. Ella grabs hold of my hand, to help me stand. I nod at her gratefully as we begin to make our way to the others. I concentrate on walking straight, not wanting to fall over or do something stupid.

Suddenly, Eight teleports in front of me and before i can do or say anything, i'm in his arms. He holds me to him as close as possible, without hurting me. I close my eyes and bury my face in his shoulder, inhaling his familiar scent. I'm not sure how long we stand there, holding one another but it's the first time i've felt safe in days. I barely notice Ella letting go of my hand and slipping away, probably to see BK.

We both pull away slightly and his eyes have tears in them. I smile at him and he grins back, despite the terrible situation we've been through. Still the same Eight, still smiling despite everything. I lean back into him and rest my head on his shoulder, exhausted. Automatically his arms tighten around me and i smile. I lean more of my weight on him, a little nervous at just how weak i am. I think i need food.

Six, John and Nine have killed all the mogs off and are using the healing stone to heal each other. Sam and the middle-aged man are embracing as well as BK and Ella. I watch as Sarah rushes over to John and tries to hug him, but he pushes her away. I furrow my brow, slightly confused.

I pull away and kiss Eight on the lips. It's not deep or passionate, just a small promise for later. For now we have to focus on getting out alive. We pull away and link hands walking towards the others.

"You look tired" he says, his voice full of emotion. I laugh at him and see the relief on his face that i'm not emotionally unstable or anything.

"Seriously? After everything we've been through? You say that" i ask. He laughs with me and swings our hands together. He then grins and leans down to kiss my forehead. We're both filled with happiness despite the fact we're still stuck in a base. We're together and out of the worst bit now; we can definitely handle whatever they throw at us.

Eight looks like he wants to say more but holds off. We'll probably have a long chat later about our ordeal but for now we can just enjoy the others' company. We reach the others and Six sees me and throws her arms around me. I stumble back a bit but hug her back too. Eight has his hand on my back to stop me falling from the impact.

"Oh my god! I'm so glad you're ok! You have no idea how worried i've been!" she exclaims, all in a rush. I laugh and pat her back. She pulls away and looks at me properly. Her smile tightens when she sees my scars but she doesn't say anything about them for which i'm glad. She presses something into my hand and i look down at the small pebble thing in my hand.

"Loric salt. Gives you energy" she explains. I nod and put it in my mouth. "Put it under your tongue" she says, noticing my confused face. I do as she says and immediately begin to feel better. Not like i can take on an army of mogs, but at least i can stand on my own. Eight grabs my hand again and moves closer to me when he sees Sarah. I frown in confusion but shake it off. I can ask later.

Five and Adam have reached us too and we all look around at each other, slightly stunned after today's events. All the Garde are standing in the same room; we're the only ones left. Six grins and points everyone out; thrilled we're finally all together.

"Right, ok. That's Sam and his dad, Malcolm. That's Adam and Five. And this is Marina aka Seven" she says. I smile at the others and i see John and Nine grin at me, probably relieved i'm not dead.

Five steps forward. "Who are you?" she says pointing to Sarah. Six hadn't mentioned her and something tells me something pretty serious has happened. My feeling is confirmed when Eight's had tightens around mine and Six scowls.

"That's Sarah. John's girlfriend and our little spy" she spits out.

Spy? Sarah was the one to give us away? Normally i try not to hold grudges, but i can't help the wary glare that i shoot her. I try not to feel bad as she pales and looks down; I have every right to be angry after what we've been put through because of her.

"Don't" John says wearily to Six and i feel sorry for him. He's going to have loads to deal with once we're safe.

Five looks at Sarah and shrugs. "Why don't we just leave her here? Saves space in the car" she says. I don't think she's being cruel, just practical. But even i wouldn't want to leave Sarah here.

Sarah's face freezes and she wraps her arms around herself, a sign of defence. Adam hits Five on the arm but doesn't fight against her. I realise i'm the only one really willing to speak up for her as everyone else just looks around awkwardly.

I step forward. "Guys, come on. She must have had her reasons to do that and if i can think that, they you guys can certainly have an open mind" i say. Some look guilty, notably John and Nine but Six scowls annoyed. Sarah smiles at me gratefully and i find myself smiling back. Eight rolls his eyes next to me and i elbow him.

"Oh god, i'm hanging around with nice people" Five mutters. Adam laughs, whilst Nine grins. "Oh well, i can see Marina's point. Let's just get the hell out of here, then we can deal with the human" Sam rolls his eyes at the term, but doesn't say anything. Must be used to Five's attitude.

We all begin to walk outside when Eight takes my hand and smiles at me. "Nice of you to stick up for her" he says. I shrug and smile back.

"Someone had to" i reply. Ella comes over and takes my other hand.

Despite the danger awaiting us, i still feel happy.

Xxx

Five

I've been with the Garde and their group less than ten minutes and i've managed to piss most of them off. I've really outdone myself this time and the worst thing, i couldn't be prouder.

First, i suggested we leave Sarah behind which actually isn't that bad considering she's a traitor. John and Sarah and weirdly enough Nine are now annoyed at me for that, but i don't see why. I don't want to have to watch my back _all_ the time and if Sarah's with us i'm going to have to. I think Six agrees with me, although her feelings for John are probably a big influence on that. And yeah i noticed her feelings for John after spending five minutes with them; it's just that clear.

Then, i might have offended Sam by teasing his so-obvious-it's-painful feelings for Six. To my defence it is hilarious. He then became embarrassed in front of Six which annoyed both her and Malcolm, who are both very protective of him. It's the first time i've truly annoyed Malcolm and i feel like i've been told off by a teacher. I don't like it.

I think i also annoyed Marina slightly when i told her to hurry up because she was slowing down a bit. I actually feel bad for that one. Eight then hissed at me that she had just been tortured and i should have more respect for her, especially since she'd saved Adam for me. Ella had also looked annoyed and had glared at me. A lot. In the end, Marina stepped forward and told them to calm down but only after i'd apologised. The tension eased up a bit there.

So now all i need to do is piss off Adam and my work is complete.

We're all crouched by a building in front of the car park and deciding which car to steal. Obviously, we need size but also something to fit in with the other cars. We haven't got a huge amount of choice. And meanwhile more mogs and agents will be arriving as backup. I swear to myself and shift. Adam looks at me, his face worried.

The others are still arguing over which one to steal and i really want to whack their heads together and force them to make up their mind. Don't they realise we have to go soon?!

A couple of mogs appear in the car park and i read from their minds that they know where we are. Damn them and their awesome tracking technology. Since the others _still _haven't noticed the mogs, i decide to take things into my own hands.

"Choose a damn car!" i hiss at them and then jump out from behind the building. I sense their surprise and annoyance as i run off. Yep, that's me, totally stupid and reckless. And ok, i might be showing off a little, but in my defence, i have to prove myself to them. The mogs see me and aim their guns but i dodge the bullets easily.

I see the others taking advantage of the distraction and sneak out to grab a distant van. Good choice; i had my eye on that as well. A couple more bullets come screaming my way but i flick them away and sit down on the ground, pretending to yawn.

"Is that the best you can do?" i tease the mogs. They growl and prepare to shoot, when i feel another presence behind me. I have the sense to roll neatly out of the way, when a mog sword hits the ground where i was just sitting. I roll up and am about to punch him in the face, when he turns to ash. Nine stands there with a staff in his hands and a smug grin on his face.

Alarm then features on his face and he reaches out to grab me. But i heard the daggers racing towards us from the mogs before he saw them and knives are my speciality. I spin on my heel and pluck them out of the air lightly, not even slowing them down with telekinesis. I then quickly fling them back at the mogs and they explode into dust.

He raises an eyebrow at me when i turn to him again. "Nice. I'm Nine" he says holding out his hand. I reach out to shake it warily.

We have a mutual dislike of the other, which stems from my suspicion of Sarah. Apparently, he's sympathetic towards her because of a similar situation concerning him long ago and doesn't like my constant lack of trust towards her. Also, he doesn't like my attitude. Well, i don't like his either.

"Five" i say. I take him in for the first time. He's tall (but then they all are except for me) with short black hair and slightly tanned skin. He's definitely packing some muscle and i suppose some girls would say he's hot, but not me. He's just good for battle to me.

We regard each other and i realise he's assessing me, like i did to him. But i can read his mind, unlike him. To him, i'm small and skinny girl with messy hair. And according to him i smell. I just rescued him and he says i smell! It's not my fault i haven't been able to shower because i was saving him!

I _really_ don't like him.

We begin to walk to the car, keeping a distance between us both.

"Nice job dealing with the General. You looked so impressive being thrown around" he says sarcastically, wanting to wind me up because i did the same to the others. I narrow my eyes and shoot him a glare.

"Thanks. I thought we did a good job too, considering our allies were too stupid to get here without being captured" i reply, sickly sweet. His face tightens and he scowls.

We've begun walking towards the car, our pace increasing to get there faster. I feel my competitive nature rise inside me. However, his legs are a lot longer than mine and i find myself falling behind as we draw closer to the car. But i refuse to run to catch up to him.

He sees me falling behind and turns with a mocking glance. Oh, we are not going to get on at all.

"You all right back there? You can always take a nap in the car if you get too tired from catching up" he says. I find myself lock my jaw and clench my fists. How dare he make fun of the fact that i look younger than everyone here except Ella?!

"Oh no, i can't nap in the day. My brain's constantly working on ways to help defeat the Mogadorians and resurrect our planet; it won't let me sleep whenever i like. I wouldn't expect you to understand; you have to have a certain level of intelligence to experience it. One you clearly don't possess" i say, sniffing and sounding like a total bitch. His shoulders tighten and he turns around.

I smirk to myself.

Five - 1. Nine - 0.

We continue the walk in silence and reach the others. They're pretty much all settled except for the front two seats. And i am so driving instead of Nine; i do not trust him as a driver. You can spot him as a speed devil a mile off.

I mange to race to the driver's side of the car before Nine realises the situation and he scowls at me. However, there's one small problem; he has the keys because John gave them to him.

"Give me the keys" i say, my voice tight. We don't have time for this but i'm not backing down from driving. I bet i'm a much better driver than he is. He chuckles and tosses the keys into the sky before catching them, a smirk on his face. I consider using compulsion on him before John speaks up.

"Just give her the keys Nine. We need to go!" he says, impatiently. Nine glowers in resentment but chucks me the keys. I catch them and climb in smugly. He gets in the other side and i start the van.

There's a small storage area at the back where Marina, Eight, Ella, BK, Adam and Six are sat. Behind us, are Sarah, John, Sam and Malcolm. It's a tight squeeze but the van is big enough for now. We'll have to get two later on.

I manage to drive the car perfectly out of the car park and i sense Nine's grudging respect at my driving. I smile at him haughtily and he glares back at me. The mood in the car seems lighter as the others begin to hope we'll get out of this base without a bit of trouble. But i know we won't.

We reach the checkpoint just before the exit and the adrenalin in the car is intense once they've realised the danger. But i can handle this easily with compulsion, which is another reason i wanted to drive. To get us out alive.

"Just let me handle this" i tell the others. They begin to protest but Malcolm shakes his head.

"Listen to her" he says. Nine sits back, looking annoyed at letting me be in control. I refrain from smiling at him smugly again.

I roll down the window as we get to the viewpoint. The officer's eyes widen when he sees a teenage girl and he's about to panic, when my compulsion hits him.

"We need to leave now as quietly as possible. Do you think you can help with that?" i say, letting compulsion smooth my voice and make him practically incoherent. He nods, speechless, and presses a couple of buttons. I increase my compulsion, whilst smiling at him and he smiles back. He's so nervous and is completely caving under my compulsion. Poor guy.

The gate opens and i flash him a sweet smile. Because he seems nice and i want to help, i analyse his brain quickly.

"By the way, i'd propose to your girlfriend soon. She's practically begging for it" i say and then i drive off. Adam is laughing and i grin too. The others just stare at me stunned. Yeah, i guess they wouldn't see that coming.

"Um, what the hell?" Nine splutters next to me. I roll my eyes and look at him as though he's stupid. Which isn't that hard to fake.

"I can read minds and i gave him some advice" i say, slowly as though speaking to a dumb person. His face turns red and he switches the radio on. To rap. I think he does it to annoy me because he smirks at my expression.

To annoy him in return, i change it to classic music, to reinforce my higher intelligence. The others clearly have no idea what it means by their facial expressions, but Nine does. He changes the station again, back to rap and turns the volume up. I do the same.

We do this a couple more times each, when John suddenly leans forward and hits the radio button, switching it off. Nine and i sit there, surprised.

"Will you two cut it out?" he complains, leaning his head on the window. Nine looks a little guilty but i just shrug and concentrate on the road. There's a silence in the car.

"So Five how old are you really?" Nine asks, trying to wind me up. I grit my teeth and glare at the road.

This is going to be a long drive.

* * *

So, hope you enjoyed :)

Please review!


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies

Hi guys!

Thanks once more for all the reviews! They are as amazing as ever and i love them loads. Please, please keep them coming :D

Secondly, this is a calmer chapter with them sorting things out between themselves but don't worry. Soon enough the Garde will have _loads_ to deal with, i'm just going to give them a tiny bit of peace. But only for now.

This chapter happens about a week after chapter 19.

So read on and i hope you enjoy this :)

* * *

John

New Hampshire is beautiful and the view from this house shows it off incredibly. In front of me, there's a small cliff and then the sea, stretching out into the distance. On the right from the small cliff, is a long beach usually filled with people tanning in the sun but today the weather is too miserable to sunbathe. A light rain falls but is consistent enough to keep people inside. That and the cold wind.

However, despite the weather i'm sat out on the porch, admiring the view and the peace and quiet. I can hear from inside the house Nine arguing with Five _again_ whilst Adam is trying to calm things down. It's a lost cause. He must know it too as he soon leaves the room, slamming the door behind him.

I roll my eyes and focus on my chest that's on the floor. I haven't had much of a chance to investigate it recently and now is as good a time as any.

The door behind me opens and i look to see Eight appear. He looks annoyed by the constant shouting coming from inside; i don't blame him. I smile at him.

"Hey, you seen Marina?" he asks, zipping his jacket up.

"Yeah, she went down to the beach a while ago" i reply. He nods and jogs off, towards that direction. He's been quieter than usual since Pennsylvania though i guess i can understand. He did go through hell.

There's silence from the house for a couple of minutes and then Nine storms out.

Maybe it's not so peaceful out here after all.

"I swear to God, if she weren't good in a fight, i would so kill her!" he rages, clenching his fists. I close my chest and lean back in my chair. I don't even have to ask who he's talking about

"What did she do this time? Tell you that you need to lose weight again?" i ask calmly. That's what happened last time, even though in reality Nine isn't fat and Five knows it. They just like to wind each other up with pathetic little insults.

"Sort of! She ate my last pancake... But then she implied i was fat" he says, as though it's a terrible crime and worthy of capital punishment. I simply raise my eyebrow at him and he glares at the house.

"I'm going for a run. To get away from _her_" he says, scowling. I grin at him cheerfully and he narrows his eyes. He doesn't like the fact that i think this is all one big joke. He turns off and sprints towards a cliff path. Hopefully, he'll cool off during his run.

I'm just about to open my chest when the door opens again. I sigh, annoyed. What do you have to do to get peace and quiet around here?!

"Can i join you?" Sarah asks, nervously. Immediately, my annoyance vanishes and my nerves erupt. I nod quickly and she sits down in the chair next to me. She's only wearing jeans and a light pink jumper, but she looks stunning to me. My mouth goes dry.

We haven't talked at all since she was revealed to have betrayed us, but i don't know what to say to her. I love her deeply but she gave me into the cops. But then, i kissed Six behind her back. Everything is so complicated.

"I'm leaving today" she says, quietly. I stare at her stunned, sure i heard her wrong. I feel like i've been punched in the stomach.

"Wh-what?" i stutter stupidly. She stares at me, tears in her eyes.

"I can't stay John. Everybody here except you and Nine hates me" she says. I open my mouth to protest but she continues. "And you love Six too. Don't deny it" she says, a waver in her voice.

I stare at her stunned."How do you know?" i ask, my voice low. She shrugs and runs a hand through her hair.

"I overheard you and Nine talking in the motel when you thought i was asleep" she explains. I wince at my stupidity. "Look, John. I love you but i can't be selfish anymore. You and Six are made for each other and it would be wrong to get in the way of it" she says, her voice breaking at the end.

I stare at her as she continues. "And i betrayed you in the worst way possible! I helped your sworn enemies!" she says, shaking with silent tears.

"You had no choice" i say. I can't help myself and i reach out and take her hand. She sniffs and smiles at me, grateful. "It wasn't your fault. They had your family and you just wanted to help, like anyone else would. And besides you helped us find a way to reunite with Five" i say, trying to cheer her up.

She still frowns. "I will still never forgive myself, John. Not for as long as i live"

I look at her and take both her hands in mine. I look her earnestly in her eyes. "You just did what you could in an impossible situation. I don't blame you, if anything it's my fault for mixing you up in this mess" i say. I wrap my arm around her and kiss her forehead.

"Don't say that John. It was never your fault. You're just too good a person" she says, weakly leaning into me. I squeeze her shoulder.

"So are you. But don't worry, we'll beat the mogs. Trust me, we'll make them regret ever messing with us" i reassure her. "But... you can't leave me Sarah. I know i kissed Six, but it's you i really love, you who i can't imagine living without. Please, i'm begging you. Can you forgive me?" i ask, tears falling down my cheeks. She looks up at me, hope in her eyes.

"You can't mean that" she says, desperately trying to see if i'm joking. I smile at her and shake her slightly.

"I mean everything i said. I love you and i want to be with you. I'm sorry about everything with Six and i'll make things up to you. I promise" i say, desperately hoping she'll say yes.

She looks up at me, delighted and tearful. "Of course i forgive you! How can you think that i won't! You can be so stupid sometimes, John" she says, throwing her arms around my neck. I laugh and hug her back. I still feel a twinge about Six but i push that away. I've made my choice, now i have to live with it. And really being with Sarah is not a bad decision at all.

She pulls away and kisses me deeply. I get lost in her embrace and kiss her back desperately. We kiss for a while and then she pulls away and leans her head on my shoulder, sniffling.

I smile and wrap my arms around her.

"I love you Sarah" i whisper in her ear. She smiles and looks up at me, brushing my hair out of my face.

"I love you too, John"

Xxx

Six

The plate smashes on the wall next to me and i jump with shock. I whirl around and see Nine standing furiously over Five. Oh god. Here we go again.

"You ate my last pancake!" he shouts at her, red in the face.

"You need to cut down on the calories! I was doing you a favour!" she retorts back, hands on her hips. I have to admire Five's bravery for standing up to Nine, considering her head only goes to his shoulder and she's very slim compared to him.

I try to muffle a laugh and make myself comfortable on the sofa. Sam grins at me from across the room and i smirk back, my heart soaring at his smile.

Eight rolls his eyes from where he was sitting and gets up, stretching. He heads for the door; probably going to go and join Marina, wherever she is. I've been worried about the both of them since Pennsylvania although i suppose they just need their own space. Five and Nine's constant arguments won't help either.

"For the last time, i'm not fat!" Nine shouts back and Five grins.

"Denial isn't good for you Nine, it makes you look desperate" she taunts. He glowers and walks away, grabbing a jacket on his way out. He storms outside of the house and slams the door behind him.

"Five – 20, Nine – 2" Five calls out, knowing full well Nine will hear with his advanced hearing. I shake my head at her as she grins at me.

I actually get on well with Five; she's a good fighter and very resourceful, just what we need on our side. But sometimes she has this thing where she _has_ to be right which can be really frustrating. And since Nine is like that too, they do not get on at all.

"God, he's so moody. What's his problem?" she asks, flopping down on the couch. I shrug and unmute the TV. Yay, another cooking programme. Oh the joys of watching chefs flounce around on TV, whilst being very smug about their perfect meals that only take '5 minutes'. I can't even cook scrambled eggs let alone a five-course meal.

Five yawns when she's sees what's on the TV and stands up quickly. "I'm gonna join Malcolm and Adam. Do something constructive" she says and hurries out the room. I guess she hates cooking even more than me.

Adam and Malcolm have spent the past couple of days trying to produce a mini-Loric dictionary, to help us translate the papers. So far, Marina and Eight have been the best at translating some of the papers. They're both the oldest at 17 which meant they spent the longest on Lorien; they had the most developed language when we left. But still, they're not great and get a lot of words wrong.

I suddenly realise that just Sam and i are sat in the room and i feel more awkward. After my revelation of my feelings for him, i've been avoiding him. In fact, no wonder Five and Nine have been arguing all week, it might be a conspiracy to cover up all the romantic tension going on with everyone.

"So, how's life been after you went to Spain?" Sam asks, casually. He knows everything, we told him in the car but i guess he just wants to start a conversation. I want to answer him and just be normal but my feelings prevent me. God, i'm a mess.

"Six?" Sam has come up to me and looks at me concerned. I smile at him sadly and pat the seat next to me. He sits down, confused. I need to tell him my feelings and get it out of the way.

"You're a really good friend Sam..." i begin. He groans and i stare at him surprised.

"Here it comes, i love you but i'm actually more in love with someone else... blah, blah, blah" he says. He's trying to put on a brave face but i can see he's upset by this. However, not as much as he would be. Before he would have been devastated, now not so much.

"But i do love John more" i say, whispering. I pull my knees up and look at him sadly. He sighs and wraps an arm around my shoulders.

"I know and i know you half-love me too" he says with a crooked smile. I raise my eyebrow.

"Half-love?" i ask.

"Yeah, you like me a lot, almost love but not quite" he explains, grinning. I roll my eyes at him and shove him playfully. "But you love John more" he says, looking away. I nod and close my eyes.

"I'm sorry" i say, choking a little. I feel like a terrible person. Why do i have to do this to a perfectly nice guy?

I expect him to get angry with me or something but instead he laughs. I look up surprised.

"Look, it's ok. I always knew you liked John more and that's fine. Besides you're an alien and i'm a human. It just wouldn't have worked. I'm not gonna lie, it hurts but... well that's life" he says, hugging me. I lean into him and sigh.

"But i can still be a good friend. And besides, i don't want to fall out with John over you. I know he'd get soooo jealous" he finishes. I laugh and grin up at him. Sam was always a good friend to me and now he's helping me again. I don't know what i'd do without him.

"I'm going to end up alone in Lorien with 30 cats and a shaved head" i say, grinning. He laughs and nods his head.

"And a mono-brow. And loads of biker tattoos. And-" i cut him off, giggling madly. He's getting way too interested.

"Sam! I do not have a mono-brow!" i say, hitting him with a pillow.

"I didn't say now! But maybe later on in life..." i roll my eyes and hit him again. He pretends to be in extreme agony and i snigger at him.

I may 'half-love' him but i completely love John. And i can't have either of them, because John has Sarah and i can't play with Sam's heart. But now, as i joke around with Sam, i know that i don't have to be with someone to be happy.

I am Number Six; independent and strong. And honestly, who needs guys, when you have yourself?

Xxx

Marina

I walk along the beach, enjoying the waves washing over my bare feet and lapping at my ankles. I feel so peaceful and calm here, a world away from how i felt just a week ago in the base.

The beach is empty because of the light drizzle of rain falling from the sky and the overcast clouds, but to me it's perfect. It's nowhere near as cold as it was in Spain in winter, when snow covered everything. A light breeze plays with my damp hair and pushes the waves into the shore. It's beautiful here and i don't want to leave but i know soon we'll have to anyway.

I lean down to roll my jeans up a bit more as they were getting soaked by the waves and then i stand up, appreciating the view. I pull my jacket closer around me after a particularly cold gust of wind.

"Thought i might find you here" says a voice and i jump, startled. I whirl around and see Eight grinning at me, hands in his pockets. I smile back and then turn back towards the view of the sea.

"It's calm and helps me think" i say.

He stands next to me but doesn't reach out a hand or anything. We haven't had a lot of contact with each other since our capture and i've missed him. However, i know it's hard for him to come to grips with everything, so i have to be patient. We'll sort things out but in our own time. I guess seeing your girlfriend tortured is enough to make you doubt yourself, especially if you could only sit there and watch.

We stand there in silence for a while with the rain continuing to fall on us, when i can't take it anymore. I take a deep breath and turn to face him.

"Eight..." he turns to me, a quizzical look on his face. "We need to talk about what happened" i say. His face closes off and my heart falls, to see him so unhappy and distant. I reach out and take his hand. "Please" i whisper, begging with him.

He looks away from me and closes his eyes. "I don't know what there is to say, Marina, except that i should have done more. I was weak. Like i was when Reynolds died" he says, gritting his teeth.

I become angry. Why does he have to blame himself all the time?!

"This is ridiculous!" i snap. His eyes open in surprise at my tone. I'm not really one for anger usually, so this must be a shock for him. "It's not your fault or mine or even Sarah's really! Look, we've all done stuff wrong, we could probably have fought more in Chicago but it's not our fault. So get off your high horse and stop preaching about how you can't forgive yourself!"

I'm shouting at the end and his face is staring at me, startled. I throw his hand down and storm away. He's been moping all week and i'm sick of it. He needs to grow up a bit and realise he's not the only one suffering.

"Marina, wait!" he calls out but i just walk on. Suddenly, the beach doesn't seem so peaceful now after our argument.

"Marina!" he calls again. I still ignore him.

And then he's in front of me; he teleported. He looks serious, but i can see a cheerful glint in his eye. Probably amused at my hissy fit.

"What?" i snap at him.

He can't control himself and starts laughing at me. I glare back at him, in a bad mood, and push him in the chest. He loses his balance at my hard shove and falls back onto the sand, just as a wave breaks over him. I jump back from the water and watch as Eight splutters, soaked by the water. He just sits there, sort of stunned.

I start to giggle at his face and a wicked grin begins to form on his. Oh no. I begin to run off but i haven't gotten very far when i'm grabbed and dragged back to the water. I struggle and protest but he doesn't listen. He throws me into deeper water and i also become completely drenched by the waves. Both of us are laughing as we try and dunk the other under water. After i win (he disagrees of course but i know i won) he pulls me out of the sea. We stumble on the beach, laughing and gently shoving each other.

"Oh god, Eight! I'm freezing now!" i complain, still giggling as we stand on drier sand, well away from the sea. I wring the salt water out of my hair, smiling. At least my bad mood has gone. He laughs and shrugs, grabbing a hold of my hand. But then he suddenly turns serious.

"You were right, about me being stupid. I shouldn't blame myself for everything and i'm sorry for making you upset this week" he says, looking down. I reach up and stroke his face, trying to make him feel better. He smiles at me and i smile back smugly as we walk.

"It's all right, i was never angry with you, just worried. And of course i was right about you being stupid. I'm always right" i say. He rolls his eyes and ruffles my dripping hair. I bat his hand away playfully.

"You've been spending way too much time with Nine" he complains, shaking his head in mock disappointment.

"Just the opposite; i've been trying to avoid him. You have no idea how pissed off he is with Five. His thoughts are unbearable" i reply. Eight laughs and i can't help the grin on my face. Five and Nine have decided they hate each other and after a week with them, i can see why. They are both _so_ annoying.

Eight grins at me again and stops suddenly, pulling me to him. He leans down and kisses me, a proper kiss, not like the small one in Pennsylvania. Everything seems to melt away and all that matters is him. I kiss him back and wind my arms around his neck, whilst he tangles his hands in my hair. His lips are so soft and yet passionate at the same time and i find myself pressing closer to him. I can taste salt water on his lips.

We continue to kiss for a while longer until we both eventually pull away. His eyes are shining and his cheeks are flushed under his deep tan, both from the cold and our kiss. I think i must have the same goofy grin on my face as him.

He takes my hand and we continue to walk down the beach, talking about nothing important. I now know that we're going to be ok; we'll move on from our experience at Pennsylvania and become stronger from it. To be honest, we're already a lot closer because of it.

I smile and lean my head on Eight's shoulder and he kisses my hair. I've never felt happier or more at peace. It's perfect.

We continue to walk down the beach, the waves washing over our feet whilst the sun begins to break through the clouds.

Xxx

Adam

It's like couple heaven here: Marina and Eight, Sarah and John, Six and Sam (although i'm beginning to think they're just friends now). Soon Five will have a thing going with Nine.

Wait, screw that. Judging by the huge glare she's just sent me from reading my mind, i doubt that anything will ever happen between her and Nine.

It's dinner time which is the most interesting part of the day. Usually, most of us split up and go off in our own small groups but this is the one time we all come together. Almost like a family. Five is now rolling her eyes and giving me a look that is clearly saying 'seriously?' Apparently, my thoughts can be really gushy at times.

_Nobodies forcing you to read my mind_ i retort in my mind and she grins. It's like talking to One again except this time, Five is even more annoying. She flicks a pea at me as she continues to read my mind.

_Go away_ i whine. She tries not to laugh and i see Sam look at her strangely. John and Sarah are too engrossed in each other to notice and Nine is still pissed off. Marina, Six, Eight and Ella are having a separate conversation.

I know Five is still reading my mind, so i have to resort to desperate measures. I start singing Rebecca Black's _Friday_ in my mind loudly. A terrible song, but so very effective right now.

Five jerks and bangs her knee against the table. It knocks it slightly and her coffee cup falls over and spills coffee on her hand. She begins swearing and everyone looks up startled. I'm trying not to fall off my chair from laughter.

"Not funny, Adam!" she says, annoyed. I wonder if she's injured by the burning liquid, but knowing Five, her spilt coffee will be the bigger insult. "You made me spill my coffee!"

I'm still chuckling and shrug. "I told you to keep out of my mind" i reply. She glares at me and then stares sorrowfully down at her coffee. I see the others roll their eyes.

"What did he do?" Six asks, as Five sits down, upset at her lack of liquid caffeine.

"He started singing _Friday_ very loudly in his head" she explains. Marina and Ella giggle, and Sam nods solemnly as though he feels Five's pain. I roll my eyes. Such an overreaction.

"It is a terrible song" Nine mutters, looking at her. He's not glaring at Five for once and i beg her not to ruin this temporary peace.

She looks at him, a little suspiciously and then nods. "Agreed. It shouldn't have been made" she says and then she goes to make another coffee. I stare at the others.

"Did that just happen?" John asks, pretending to be amazed.

"I know. I thought it was just my eyes" Sam replies, seemingly mystified.

"Nope, it definitely happened. It is most...sinister" Six says.

"It could just be a one-time occurrence" Eight says. Marina is laughing next to them and i grin.

Nine rolls his eyes and eats a chip. "So what? We agreed on something; doesn't mean i like her" he says. Five walks back into the room and snorts.

"Yeah. He's still an asshole" she says, drinking more coffee.

"Another agreement. What's happening to the world?" i say, pretending to be bewildered. Five laughs and hits the back of my head. I grin at her.

"So, guys you ready to look at some papers?" Five says, holding them up. They all groan and shake their heads, but we'll have to knowing Five. She can be bossy.

"Don't worry Nine, you don't have to worry about looking. I don't want you to feel embarrassed about not being able to read very well" she says. He rolls his eyes and chucks a chip at her. She glares at him and he stares back, both annoyed.

Maybe things haven't changed after all.

* * *

Ok, so i know a lot of you will want to kill me for keeping Sarah and John together but just trust me on this. This is a JohnXSix pairing story; they will get together. I just want to drag things out to make a good story and also because Sarah wouldn't be chucked away that quickly in the actual books. But she will go eventually, don't worry.

Also, i do like SamXSix and i tried to write the pairing but it went wrong and just didn't feel right. Also, if i follow my plan, they won't be able to get toegther...

So, i hope you enjoyed and please review!


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies

Hi guys,

Thank you all for the reviews! As amazing as ever and really encouraging. I won't go on but just i'll just say another _huge_ thank you!

Secondly, last chapter was to sort of tie up loose ends but i'm glad you all enjoyed it. Anyway, because i'm cruel, the trouble will soon begin once more for the Garde so i thought i'd give them another calm(ish) chapter here. :D

So, please enjoy and read on...

* * *

Nine

The sun shines down through the windows and onto the kitchen table, lighting up the dreary room. I feel the warmth on my back and smile at the peace i'm feeling at the moment. It's only temporary of course; as soon as Five comes back into the room, i'll become pissed off again. I know it's irrational but she is just so damn annoying. She hits all my weak points in arguments and i never know what to say back to her.

As if Five knows i'm thinking about her, she enters the room. Fortunately, she can't read my mind anymore. I've developed a way of blocking my mind from hers by imagining a thick wall in front of my thoughts. At first it was hard to constantly do, but now it's just like second nature. We scowl at each other as she comes to sit down at the table.

"So, things we need to do" she says, bringing out a notebook and pen. What is she, a student? She glares at my look and flicks her hair back defiantly.

"What? Someone's got to make a solid plan and i don't see you doing it" she says to me, annoyed. I grin at her calmly, hiding my inner annoyance.

"Sure, go ahead dwarf. No one's stopping you" i drawl, which i know annoys her. Her shoulders stiffen at my nickname for her but she doesn't say anything and she turns back to the others. John rolls his eyes at me and i grin at him.

"Well, i want to get my chest back" Six says. We all nod as Five writes that down. We need to get Six's chest as it's her inheritance, part of who she is. I can't imagine not having my chest and i feel pity for her.

"Ok, what else?" Five says. Adam shrugs and looks down. He's a cool guy, but nervous around me. Probably because it took me a while to decide not to kill him.

But hey, i've gotta be cautious.

"Obviously train" Eight says. He's holding Marina's hand and i try not to roll my eyes. At least they're not as mushy as Johnny and Sarah, who are so romantic and sweet that i feel like throwing up whenever i spend too long with them. Unlike the others, I actually feel bad for Sarah; she was in the same situation as Maddy and neither could defend themselves against the mogs. The others just need to realise that.

"Ok... well i think that's clear" Five says, but she still writes it down. She looks up at us. "Maybe, locate the ships. There could be some stuff on them that we could use to help us and eventually we'll need them" she says. I'm surprised how sure she is that we'll ever reach the point that we need our ships, but i see Six nod.

"Sure, why not? Let's be optimistic for once" she says. I see her point and i shrug.

"Crayton mentioned something about Chimaera being hidden on Earth but he never said where. I think we need to find them, if they're all as awesome as BK then we'll definitely be stronger. There might be something in the Loric papers" Marina says. I raise my eyebrows in surprise. I didn't know there were other chimaera on Earth; i thought BK was one of a kind.

"Good point. And that's another thing we need to do: understand the Loric papers" Five muses, writing it all down. "Ok, well i think that's probably enough for a while, we don't wanna overwhelm ourselves just yet" she says. But i have an extra idea and one that i'm sure will be enjoyable to all.

"What about blowing up some mog bases?" i suggest. John shakes his head, whilst Six rolls her eyes.

"It's too dangerous-" John begins but Five interrupts.

"Actually, that's a good point" she says, writing it down. I stare at her stunned. Did she just say i had a good idea?! "They're creating a lot of developed drugs and weapons in the bases, as well as training the piken and kraul. If we destroy them, we'll be weakening our enemy" she says.

"It won't take much, just a couple of bombs" i say, already imagining all the stuff we can buy off the internet to build the bombs. Five nods and i see the others begin to agree. I grin and lean back, pleased with my input.

The group begins to disperse, until it's just Five, Adam and I at the table. Most of the others have gone to relax but i want to go for a run. I don't understand why some of them don't like training like i do. But then, i am awesome at it.

I stand up and am about to head outside, when Five calls my name.

"Yeah" i say, turning around. I'm wary of what she's going to say.

"Good suggestion" she says, looking like it's hard for her to say. She then turns around and i stand there, stunned. It's the first time she's ever said something nice to me.

"Well, stop staring at me! It enhances your already dense appearance" she snaps, without looking behind.

I grin. "And there i thought for a moment you could be nice" i reply and then i turn around and leave the house. I'm already dressed for jogging in tracksuits, shirt and trainers so i don't have to waste any extra time.

I take the cliff path and jog down it, increasing my pace when i realise no one is about. I love running; i feel so free when i run. I admire the sea view, but i can't help but compare it to Lake Michigan and Chicago.

I stop running after a while and stand on a cliff, looking out to the beach and the sea beyond. It's beautiful of course but i would give anything to swap it with my home view. I think on my last months in Chicago with Sandor and i wish i'd appreciated it more; appreciated _him_ more.

Sandor. I haven't thought about him in so long and yet he's always been at the back of my mind. I wonder if he'd be proud of me, or just disappointed. No, he'd be proud; proud i never cracked in the base; proud i trained even when captured; proud of all the mogs i've killed and will kill in the future.

I then think of Maddy, sweet Maddy who never did anything wrong but just had a father who meddled too much. Who was then dragged into this whole mess, like Sarah, but ended up dying for it. Another reason i don't like Five is because she reminds me of Maddy so much; thick black hair, athletic figure, strong personality, good sense of humour (when Five uses it).But i would swap Maddy for Five in a second if i had to, even if Five is Loric. They just can't compare to me.

I realise my breathing has increased and i try to control it. I unclench my fists and shake my arms in an attempt to relax myself. I need to control myself and stop getting so worked up. Sandor and Maddy are dead and i can't switch them for Five, even if i wanted to. Besides, we need Five to get back to Lorien.

Scowling, i turn and continue my run down the path. I try to ignore the memories of a black-haired girl screaming for my help as a piken advances towards her.

Xxx

Sarah

Sarah Mary Hart. Leader of the cheerleading squad, boyfriend of the quarterback of the football team. Resident gossip and head bitch of the school. Everyone thought i was perfect and wanted to be me. Even i began to think i was faultless.

Then i became Sarah the photographer. The Sarah who was nice to everyone, who welcomed newcomers to our school, who helped animals by building shelters and who gained good grades in class. The Sarah who John fell in love with.

But now, i'm Sarah the traitor. The girl who betrayed the love of her life for a lie, for a broken promise. The girl who let her good friends be taken away and tortured by mogs. The one who deserves every rejection from the others.

I sit on my bed, with my knees drawn to my chest and my arms wrapped around my legs. I hate myself for what i did and i would do anything to go back in time and warn the others, warn them of the Government's plan. But i can't and now i have to deal with the consequences.

John's forgiven me of course; he's too good of a person not to. Six still hates me and i can't blame her. Not only did i betray her but i'm going out with the guy she loves. No wonder she wants me gone.

The others are harder to tell. Eight has avoided me but i suppose i can't blame him; he's just so protective over Marina. She has been kinder and defended me in the base, but since then hasn't really talked to me. I think she's just had too much on her mind to notice. Ella has glared at me a lot and i realise she's just as protective over Marina as Eight is.

Five doesn't trust me but then she doesn't seem to trust anyone except Adam. When she said i should stay behind, John told me she was being practical, not a bitch. But i still deserve everything i get.

My stomach rumbles and i head downstairs to get something to eat. Marina, Eight and Ella are all watching TV; the others are out, probably training. I better avoid that; Six would love an excuse to give me another black eye.

Eight looks up as i enter. Marina is lying on the sofa with her head on his lap, both of them reading a magazine article and laughing at something in it. I remember when i was like that with John, when it was just us two and everything was so easy between us. I feel sad for the time where i took everything for granted. I smile at Eight but he just stares back and then looks away. Ella doesn't even bother looking up.

Crestfallen, i walk over to the fridge and grab an apple. I'm about to head back upstairs to sulk, when Marina calls my name. I turn around, a questioning look on my face.

"Do you want to join us? Have a bit of company?" she asks, smiling kindly at me. She's too nice really and i know the others want me to refuse but i can't help but nod and smile. I see Eight frown a bit and i sit awkwardly down on a sofa opposite them. Ella stands up and stretches.

"I'm going to go help Adam and Five with the papers" she says, smiling at the other two. Marina sighs but nods and Ella leaves.

I sit there, embarrassed and upset. What chance do i have of fitting in again, if Ella one of the easy-going ones around here hates me? She must have been through hell in that base to hate me so much. Marina sees my face and smiles at me, pityingly.

"Don't worry about her. She's just over-protective. Just like someone else" she says, looking up pointedly at Eight, whilst nudging him with her elbow. He looks away and she rolls her eyes at his pretence to not know what she's talking about. I smile back at her timidly.

"I really am sorry-" i begin to say until Eight scoffs and shakes his head, angrily. Marina hits him on the arm but he moves to get up. Marina sits up and looks on frustrated, as Eight leaves the room.

"Hey, don't worry" she says, seeing the tears in my eyes. "It's not your fault. The US Government were blackmailing you. Eight is just... well, he blames himself secretly and you're the easier target" she says, taking my hand. I can't help the small sob that escapes from me and she sits next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" i ask, confused. I feel her shrug and sigh.

"I know what it's like to grudge someone at the time and then regret it later on. It's a waste of time and effort" she says. I look up at her.

"Who did you hold a grudge against?" i ask, hesitantly. She smiles at me reassuringly.

"My Cepan. And i wish i hadn't now" she says, looking away, a frown on her face. I'm shocked; i thought the bonds they had with their Cepan were binding and strong. I wondered what happened there, but i can tell by the look on Marina's face that she doesn't want to talk about it.

There's a brief silence until Eight walks back into the room with his chest and i find myself becoming more hopeful. Maybe he doesn't think i'm so bad if he's back. He smiles at me faintly and i wonder if he overheard our conversation. Marina rolls her eyes and i think he must have done.

"Decided to come and join us then" she asks, grinning at him cheekily. He sits down in his original seat and Marina gets up to sit next to him, which pleases him a lot even though he tries to hide it. I smile as he takes her hand, happy that they're together. At least they're ok in this whole mess.

"I realised i was being an idiot and i'm sorry" he says to me. I smile.

"Seriously, i don't blame you; anyone would do the same. And i meant what i said earlier... i really am sorry" i say. He smiles and looks away.

"Thanks" he says and turns to his chest. I notice he doesn't forgive me though.

Can i blame him?

There's a small silence and then Marina switches the TV on. The news appears but there's nothing about our recent fight in Pennsylvania. I see Marina lean into Eight and him wrap his arm around her comfortingly. It's very sweet and i wish John were here, to do the same with me. But i know things will never be that easy for us anymore, no matter how much i want it to be.

We sit here for a couple of hours: talking, watching the TV, and looking at Eight's chest. I feel myself bonding more with Eight and Marina, and laughing more than i thought i ever could after the base. We begin watching a popular film on the TV, Twilight i think, and eventually Marina falls asleep on Eight's shoulder. He shifts so she's in a more comfortable position and then he turns to me. By now, i feel a lot more confident around him but the look on his face makes me falter. It's grim and cold.

"Look, I _do_ like you Sarah. But if you put Marina, or Ella, in danger again, John won't be able to keep you with us. I won't let him. Ok?" he says. I realise no matter how nice or cheerful he is, i am not one of them to him and he will only protect his true family.

I nod and he looks away, focusing on the TV once more. Suddenly, the room doesn't feel so warm anymore.

Xxx

Adam

My brain hurts. I've been analysing these damn papers for days and nothing useful has appeared yet. Five says it's only a matter of time but i'm starting to just think that these papers are useless. I lean back and stretch my arms out in front of me. Five smiles at me sympathetically.

"Want to take a walk?" she says. I nod eagerly and we both stand up. I grab my jacket on the way out, as it's still chilly outside.

We walk down the cliff path slowly. I know Nine took this path earlier on his run earlier, but i doubt we'll bump into him; he's a fast runner. The brisk wind chills my cheeks and i zip my coat up. Five's hair plays in the wind and she pulls it back in a small bun, an irritated look on her face.

"So, what do you think of the others?" i ask her. She smiles up at me as she lightly jumps onto a rock. She's still smaller than me and i smirk at her. She rolls her eyes and steps down.

"Umm, i like Marina. She's a lovely girl but probably a bit _too_ nice at times" she says. "Fortunately for her, Eight's suspicious on her behalf so i guess she doesn't have to worry as much" she continues. I nod along; Marina has forgiven Sarah pretty quickly considering, therefore Eight has taken his role as her protector very seriously.

"John is nice too, but his thoughts are seriously mushy at times. You really have no idea. But he seems powerful in his own way and i have a feeling... no, it doesn't matter" she says, looking off into the distance. I want to ask what she's thinking but i've learnt from experience to just not ask. She won't tell me.

"Anyway, Ella's awesome. She's great for a 11 year old; most of them are brats" she says, grinning.

I laugh and roll my eyes. "Hey, it's true! I was!" she says at my look.

"Still are" i mutter and she laughs when she hears me. She knows i'm only joking.

"I like Six; she's a good fighter and agrees with me about Sarah. Nine is an idiot to feel sorry for her" she finishes. I frown at that last bit.

"It's not completely Sarah's fault" i protest. Five looks at me, an eyebrow raised.

"She gave up her friends to the mogs. I don't see that as innocent" she argues. I find myself losing patience. I know what the mogs are like; Sarah would have been too terrified to resist. Five hasn't lived with mogs and she doesn't know how they think, not like i do.

"Sometimes you need to be more understanding" i say to her. She stops and looks up at me, confused.

"Sometimes you need to be _less_ understanding" she snaps back, annoyed. I don't want to get angry with her, but i'm so tired and her attitude is pissing me off.

"We can't all be bitches like you" i say. Harsh but true. "You've been going on at Nine and Sarah all week, just give it a rest!" i say to her. Anyone else would have surrendered and listen to what i'd have to say, but Five retaliates.

"Look at where being a bitch got me! _I_ saved your life in that base! _I_ saved our lives in Paradise!" she hisses back at me. I sort of see her point, but we're both so tense we want to release our frustration on each other. Also my anger is explosive. And she's just set me off.

"I helped!" I shout back at her. There can't be anyone around or Five would warn me to tone it down. "You always think you're the best when in fact you're just trying to compensate for your past! You're a weak little girl, who let her Cepan die and then ran off like a coward!"

Immediately, i know i've gone too far. Her face freezes in an expression of pain and tears form in her eyes. She takes a couple of jerky steps back.

I reach out to her "Five..." i begin, but she jumps further back and trips over a rock. She falls to the ground.

"Oh, sorry. Did i interrupt?" a voice asks. I turn and see Nine standing there, a confused look on his face. I ignore him and turn back to see Five has scrambled up.

"Five.." i begin again, but she turns and walks away.

"Five!" i shout. She turns around and glares at me. Poor Nine just stands in the middle, completely lost.

"Stay away from me Adam! After all i'm the coward who lets her friends die!" she shouts. I open my mouth but she's on a roll now. "I'm just the bitch who nobody really likes and just tolerates because i'm good in a fight! Don't argue with me, i can read minds! I know that's what most people think" she shouts.

I see tears spill over from her eyes and she wipes at them angrily, embarrassed to be showing weakness. I step forward one more time and try again, but she turns invisible. I'm positive she'll have run off by now to cry in peace. And she never cries. I feel terrible and a knot forms in my stomach.

Nine whistles. "Dude, what did you say? You have _got_ to give me some pointers, because i never get that reaction" he says, smirking at me.

I glower at him. "Seriously?! She's just a person, be nice to her!" i hiss. He shrugs and turns back home.

"You mean like you were just now? You can't talk man" he says, sauntering away.

I turn away and ball up my fists.

I don't want him to see just how much his words really hurt.

Xxx

Six

I wake up slowly, my eyes feeling like they're glued shut. I groan slightly and rub my face, resigned to the fact that i won't be able to fall asleep for a while. I'm a light sleeper and on top of that, it takes me forever to fall asleep. I find it hard to relax.

I automatically look across to the next bed but frown when i don't see Marina there. We've been sharing a room and she's always there whenever i wake up. Feeling worried, i bolt out of bed and pick up my sword. You can never be too careful.

I turn invisible and slowly creep downstairs. I can't hear anything but then again, if it were an attack, there wouldn't be a sound. I take a deep breath and adjust my grip on my sword, my hands sweating slightly. I enter the lounge but don't see any mogs.

What i do see is Marina huddled on a sofa, her knees pulled up to her chest. She doesn't know i'm here; she's too consumed with crying to notice me. Her body's shaking with silent sobs and i turn visible. I put my sword down and approach her.

"Marina?" i ask softly. She jumps and lets out a hushed shriek in shock. She visibly relaxes when she recognises me and she wipes her face, embarrassed.

"Are you ok?" i ask her, sitting next to her. She sighs and hiccups, more tears escaping.

"I just had a nightmare, that's all" she says, looking away. She's uncomfortable at having been caught like this but i don't see why. It's not a bad thing to cry every now and then.

"About what?" i question, though i think i already know. What else would she be so scared about?

"The base" she replies, sniffing. I get up and pour her a glass of water, hoping to calm her down. She accepts it with a tiny smile and takes a sip. She rubs her face, looking weary and worn down.

"I dreamt i was attached to the machine again but this time you guys were all there" she explains. I take her hand and she smiles again but ever so slightly. She's still shaking and i look at her with pity. I had no idea she was this affected by what she went through; she's good at hiding her inner pain.

"I couldn't get free, no matter how hard we all tried. And i just remembered the pain" she says, shivering. I wrap and arm around her shoulders and she begins crying, burying her head in my shoulder.

"Shhh, it's ok. You're safe now" i soothe her, rubbing her back. Eventually she stops crying but she still leans on me.

"I had no idea you felt this way. Have you had many nightmares?" i ask her. She pulls away, still looking delicate.

"Yeah. Every night since the base. But it's never been that bad...usually they're ok to deal with" she says. I sigh and look her in the face.

"You should have told me. You shouldn't have kept all that locked up" i say. She shrugs and looks away.

"It didn't seem so bad after i woke up. I thought i could handle it... it was just particularly bad tonight" she says, looking down at her hands.

"How much do you think about it?" i ask her.

"Honestly? It's always in the back of my mind. It will always be there, Six. I won't ever forget it" she says. Her face is filled with pain and i reach out to take her hand again. She smiles absently.

"It's not remembering the pain that's bad" she says, tracing a pattern on the sofa. I turn to look at her. "It's the thought of being helpless whilst they... whilst they tortured me. I couldn't do anything and it's horrible. I had no control" she says, her voice rising a bit at the end.

"I wish you had told me this earlier" i say.

"There's nothing anyone can do. I just have to live with it" she says. There's a short silence as i desperately think of what to say.

"The worst bit was the needle. Nothing compares to it; i would have rather been tortured for a whole month rather than have that needle in my head" She shivers and a spasm rocks through her. I look at her concerned. "Six, you have no idea of the violation, the pain that it caused. I'll never feel the same" she whispers, more tears escaping.

"And then i can't talk about it with anyone except you" she says, looking lonely and scared. I smile at her encouragingly.

"Eight would talk to you; he's worried about you" i say. She shakes her head.

"I can't talk about it with Eight, it hurts him too much. He hates himself for not being able to do anything. If he knew i felt this way... it'd kill him Six" she says, sighing sadly. I nod.

"Ok, i understand. But still, you should come to me whenever it gets too much" i say. She nods but doesn't look any better. I'm not going to make any more difference here; she needs someone who fully understands what she's going through. Despite worrying about Eight's feelings, she needs to talk to him.

I yawn and stretch my arms out, pretending to be exhausted. Marina looks at me and smiles sadly. "You should get back to bed, you look tired" she says. I nod and hug her. She stiffens but then relaxes and hugs me back. Definitely still affected by her experience.

"Well, get some sleep too. We're beginning training again tomorrow" i remind her gently. She nods and pulls away.

"I will... i'll be up soon" she whispers. I nod and walk away. I've barely left the room when i hear her begin to cry again. I feel immense pity well up in me and i quickly make my mind up, walking up the stairs. Once i'm upstairs, i go to Eight and Nine's room, gently knocking on the door. I hear a groan and a muffled 'go away'. Definitely Nine. Despite that, i hear shuffling and then Eight opens the door, grimacing.

"There better be a good reason for this" he mutters, stifling a yawn. I nod and motion him to come out of the room. I can hear Nine moving about slightly and i don't want him to get pissed off with me. He's violent when his sleep is interrupted. Eight sighs but shuts the door and Nine settles down, pleased that he can now sleep again.

"You need to talk to Marina. She's been having nightmares" i say to him. At once he turns serious and concerned.

"Is she ok?" he asks. I sigh and run a hand through my hair.

"She's crying downstairs. I tried to talk to her but i don't really understand what she went through" i say, raising my hands helplessly. He nods.

"But she doesn't want to talk to you because she hates that you blame yourself whenever she mentions it" i say. He sighs but nods again.

"I know... i'll have to work on that. I'll go see her" he says. I nod.

"Thanks. She really needs you right now" i say. He smiles sadly and then teleports away.

I stand in the hallway by myself but then sigh and shake myself. I can't do much else tonight so i might as well go to bed.

At least _I_ won't get haunted by nightmares.

* * *

So, i threw a Nine POV in there as well as Sarah's. I hope Nine's was ok. In the Lost files book about him, he was a lot deeper than he seemed on the outside so i've tried to continue with that side of him. Also, I'm going to be experimenting with different POVs now, so feel free to give me some advice or tell me if you think i need to change something. I'll still stick to some old ones though; ones i'm comfortable with.

I hope you enjoyed! Please review! :D


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies

Hi guys!

It's official! You guys are the best readers and reviewers ever! Thank you all so much for the constant support via the amazing reviews! They are as lovely as ever and really help me write this story.

Secondly, i was asked to put some more action in here but just for this chapter, there's none. However, after this every chapter will have at least one fight in it so this is the last chapter of peace.

So please enjoy and read on!

* * *

Eight

I lie in bed, the sheets tangled around me as i stare up at the ceiling. I can't sleep, too scared of the nightmares that will come and haunt me. They don't come that often but when they do, they're horrible. They're usually flashbacks about Marina being stuck in that machine whilst i just watch. I couldn't do anything but watch them hurt her.

I sigh and turn over, my messed up blankets tangling even more around my legs. Despite the chill in the air at the moment, i'm still hot. I'm sweating slighty and i push the blanket off me. I sit up and rest my head in my hands, trying to think about anything else other than that base.

Nine snores in the bed next to mine and i can't help the amused grin on my face. He's been one of the best people to hang around with since the base. He understands that i don't want to talk about it but i just want to get on with my life. Something tells me he's been through something similar but i don't ask. I don't want to talk about my situation so i bet he feels the same.

I lie back down in bed and sigh, running my hands through my hair. Six cut it recently so now it's a better length. I know Marina prefers the cut; she says it suits me.

Marina. I'm worried about her. She doesn't show it but i know the base seriously affected her. She's never been captured before, let alone tortured. The image of her being strapped down to that _thing_ makes me clench my fists and i take a deep breath, trying to calm down. It doesn't work.

I close my eyes and remember the calming exercises Devdan taught me. Apparently they only work in times of extreme stress and now's the perfect time to try it out. I breathe in rhythm and eventually my muscles begin to relax. My eyelids droop and my breathing evens out.

Before i know it, i'm asleep.

Xxx

(after his conversation with Six in last chapter)

I teleport into the lounge and my mood falls to see Marina looking so fragile on the couch. She's huddled in a ball, crying silently, and i walk over to her. She looks up and sighs when she sees me. She hates talking about the base with me; she doesn't like to see me hurt.

But i don't care about my feelings. As long as she feels better, i'm all right.

"Hey" i say lamely, sitting on the sofa next to her. She laughs slightly and then hiccups, a result of crying too much. I smile gently and wrap an arm around her, pulling her to me. She lets it happen and then rests her head on my shoulder. At once, i feel better to be holding her and i hope she feels the same.

As Nine would say: I'm so whipped.

"I guess Six got you to talk to me" she replies. I nod and press my cheek against her hair. I'm a bit obsessed with it; it's thick and shiny and wonderful to run my hands through when we kiss. I can smell the shampoo she used. I think it's mango.

"Yeah, she's worried about you. So am i" i say. She sighs and snuggles further into me. I automatically tighten my arms around her.

"I'm fine" she says weakly. I snort.

"You didn't look fine when i came in" i answer back. She pulls away slightly so i can see her face.

"I had a nightmare but Six talked to me" she says sighing. I brush a lock of hair away from her face and she smiles at that.

"I'm sorry for not being there for you in the base" i begin, looking away. She shakes her head and frowns.

"Eight" she warns. Despite the situation, i grin.

"Sorry, sorry. I know you hate the whole self-hatred image" i say. She smiles and stretches her legs out on the sofa, already looking happier. It's nice to know i've already begun cheering her up. Maybe i'm not as useless as i think i am.

"Yeah, it's not attractive" she agrees. I pout.

"According to Twilight it is. Fans love the whole 'I'm a monster, i hate myself' thing" i retort, referring to the film we watched earlier. She laughs and shakes her head.

"Yeah, well i love_ you,_ not some stupid vampire" she says teasingly but then freezes when she realises what she said. I'm also shocked but obviously thrilled at the same time. We've never said the whole 'I love you' thing yet though i guess after everything we've been through, it's sort of a given.

"Oh, well, um" she stumbles, red in the face. I grin and stroke her face gently, trying to make her feel better. _I_ feel on top of the world. If anything, she blushes more against my hand.

"I love you too" i say, smiling at her affectionately. And it's true; i couldn't imagine my life without her. She smiles and sighs relieved.

"Oh good" she replies. I laugh and lean down to kiss her. It's slow and sweet, filled with emotion. I eventually pull away and smile smugly, to which she rolls her eyes at.

"But seriously, i can do the whole self-hatred thing, since girls love it so much" i say as i continue our earlier discussion. She shoves me and i pretend to be mightily offended. She rolls her eyes again and i can't help the grin that escapes.

"Oh please, you're too cheerful" she says. I immediately turn serious and pull what i imagine is a look of pain. When Marina begins to laugh at me again, i guess i look pretty stupid.

"You shouldn't hang around with me, i'm dangerous" i say in an extremely low voice and trying to sound English, like the actor in Twilight. With my Indian accent, it goes horribly wrong. Marina begins to laugh really hard and i can't help but smile. I might not have gotten rid of the nightmares but i've cheered her up for the meantime.

"I'm so worried that you actually know the lines!" she says, giggling madly. I shrug and try to look innocent. I'm a bit worried too that i really enjoyed the film when we watched it earlier.

"There was nothing better on this afternoon" i protest. She smiles and then leans forward. My heart beat increases at her close proximity.

"You're such an idiot sometimes, Eight" she says, grinning. I gasp, pretending to be insulted, and shake my head.

"For that, you shall pay!" i exclaim dramatically. I catch her round the waist as she leaps up to run away and begin to tickle her. She shrieks quietly, still mindful of the others sleeping, and struggles in my arms. I laugh as she turns red with suppressed laughter as i continue to tickle her; i never knew she was this ticklish. I grin as we fall back onto the couch.

"I think you should apologise" i say, not tickling her anymore. She breathes a sigh of relief and smiles up at me. I blush when i realise our position, her lying down on the couch and me hovering over her, our faces close together. I go to move away but she just shakes her head, smiling.

"Never" she announces. I grin and lean down, kissing her. It's passionate and intense; leaving us both gasping for breath when i pull away. I raise my eyebrow, trying to hide how affected i am by her kiss.

"I think you should" i argue. She shakes her head, biting her lip. I lean down and gently kiss her neck, just underneath her jaw. Her pulse increases and she gasps quietly as i continue to leave small kisses down her neck. I've never gone this far before but guessing by her smile when i move back up, she liked it.

"Please?" i beg. She laughs and pushes me off her. I think she's nervous about her reaction to me and wants to set some small distance between us. I feel the same; i've never had this magnitude of emotions before so it's hard for me to control myself.

"Oh, fine. I'm sorry for calling you an idiot" she says. I grin and lie back on the sofa, my head resting on the armrest. She smiles and then lies down next to me, her head on my chest. I use telekinesis to bring a blanket over and lay it over us, keeping us warm.

"You should sleep" i say, seeing her eyes begin to drop slightly. She's exhausted by the emotional turmoil of the nightmares. I know the feeling too well.

She sighs but nods and snuggles into me more. I wrap one arm around her waist tentatively, not wanting to push it. She smiles and relaxes in my arms, as i begin to play with her hair. Like i said, i'm obsessed. Before long, we both fall asleep, comforted by the others' presence.

It's the best night's sleep i've had in years.

Xxx

Ella

I sit on the sofa in the lounge, trying not to wince from my bruises every time i move. I was training earlier with Six and Marina and now i have a lot of bruises. Marina had the same, but she's healing hers at the moment. Hopefully, she'll heal mine too.

I think of just over a week ago, when Eight, Marina and I had been stuck in the base. I had wanted to be strong and not say a word but after a couple of painful hits from Setrakus, i had told them everything i knew. Fortunately, it wasn't that much; not enough to be used against us anyway. I'm still ashamed of myself though.

When they had first plugged Marina to that machine, Eight and I had made a pact to not say or do anything. But after a while, Eight had cracked and had managed to free himself. He had barely managed to get to the machine before he was taken down. The image of his broken body being chucked into my cell will never leave my mind and i clench my fists, trying to block the memory.

"All done" Marina announces, oblivious to my dark thoughts. She smiles at me and takes my hand. Immediately, i get that icy feeling where my bruises are and i wince in pain. However, quickly they begin to heal up and i can move again with hurting.

I smile at her and squeeze her hand. I may get on with Six and Five well enough, but Marina is my big sister. No one else will ever take her place.

She sits back and we both watch the news in silence. There's nothing really interesting going on at the moment, so i tune it out. Instead, i think about something more cheerful.

"Hey Nine" i say and he looks over to me. He's like a big brother to me but so is Eight now since the base. He wouldn't let any of the mogs touch me; instead he took all my hits. I couldn't thank him enough.

"Yeah kid?" he asks. It's his nickname for me but it's not meant to be condescending.

"It's my birthday tomorrow. I'm going to be 12" i say, excited. He grins at me and Marina mutes the TV.

"No way! Why didn't you tell us earlier?!" he asks, leaning forward excited. Marina grins and pokes me in the side. I giggle and squirm away.

"Yeah, we could have planned a proper party and everything" Marina says.

I shrug. "I forgot... and it didn't seem important" i say.

"Of course it's important. It celebrates another year that you've managed to stay alive" Five says, coming into the room. She looks troubled and i see Nine look away, avoiding eye contact. I wonder what happened but i don't want to ask. I'm too afraid of scaring Five and she's someone you don't want to scare.

"Well, we'll have to do something" Nine muses, looking away. Sam walks into the room closely followed by John and Sarah.

"What's going on?" Sam asks. Marina explains quickly and he nods, thoughtful.

"Oh... well there's that new theme park nearby. Half an hour, tops" he says. Nine jumps up, delighted.

"Oh, we've gotta go! I mean, unless you don't want to" he says looking at me. I shrug and grin, excited.

"Sounds good to me. I've never been to a theme park before" i say. Marina nods her head next to me, as she's never been either. I see Sarah smile at her and i glare and look away. Marina's _my _friend, not Sarah's. Besides, how can Marina trust Sarah after what she did? I see Nine smirk at me and i blush at being caught out in my jealousy.

"Awesome, what time do you wanna go?" Six says, walking in with Eight and Adam. I see Adam avoid looking at Five as she glares at him. I thought they were best friends; he must be the reason that she's upset. I can't help but feel sorry for her.

"Ummm, 10?" Nine says. He's so excited and i see Marina grin too, affected by our anticipation. The mood in the room is cheerful as we all look forward to the next day. It's about time we earned a break.

If only i knew that things would never be that simple.

Xxx

I wake up to the sun shining in my face and i stretch my arms. I realise that today i'm 12 and it's my birthday and i shoot up in bed. I'm so excited as i jump around and pull my clothes on. I'm 12! And we're going to a theme park!

I sober as i think of my Cepan, who was more like a father. I wish he were here to give me his special hug and to present me with the customary cupcake that he always cooked for my birthday, even if he was rubbish at cooking. I miss him so much but i know that i love the others just as much as i love him. They're my new family.

Well, except for Sarah. I'll never love her; not after what Marina and Eight went through because of her. Some part of me wishes i were more understanding but i ignore that part.

I skip downstairs and stare at the sight. The others are all up and there's a cake in the middle of the table. They're standing around it, all grinning. There are party decorations flung around the room, guessing by the 'artistry' i'd say Nine was in charge of that. They even got balloons!

"Happy Birthday!" they all chorus. I grin and rush the rest of the way down the stairs. Marina hugs me and then so does Nine, ruffling my hair in the process. The others pat me on the back or smile at me warmly. I feel so happy and beam back at them.

"Ok, we couldn't each get you a separate present because we were only warned yesterday but we managed to group together and get you one" Nine says, presenting me with a box. It is a small silver locket in a heart shape. Inside there is a picture of Crayton's face. It's his passport picture; Marina must have cut it out for this. Tears form in my eyes and i hug Marina again.

"Don't cry! Not on your birthday" she says, as she clips the necklace onto me. I nod and smile as Nine comes forward and hugs me again. There's still a lump in my throat but i try and choke it down, taking strength from my two favourite people in the whole world.

"Yeah, and we got cake! When was the last time you had cake for breakfast?" he asks. I look over to the huge chocolate cake and grin. Marina motions for me to blow the candles out.

"Make a wish!" she says.

I lean forward and blow them out. I secretly wish to myself that we'll succeed in our fight against the mogadorians but i know it will take more than a wish for that to happen. The others clap and Six cuts a huge piece and hands it to me, grinning. I smile back, blinking the last of my tears away. Nine's right; cake for breakfast is unbelievably good.

We all have a big piece each and then Nine continues to eat the rest, until all the cake's gone. Five rolls her eyes at that and i grin at her expression. However, she doesn't say anything biting to him and neither does Nine in return, so something must have definitely happened that's making them stay quiet. Or maybe they've established a peace treaty for my birthday.

"All right, now that Nine has put on two stone, i think we should go" Six says, standing up. I notice that all the others are still dressed in good survival clothes (jeans, thick jumpers and jackets) so they're still preparing for the worst. I try to ignore that and focus on the positives.

We laugh and begin to leave. Malcolm and Sam are staying behind; Malcolm doesn't like roller coasters and he says it's best if someone is here to guard the chests. Sam is staying behind to help his dad.

In the car as we joke around, all filled with excitement, a small part of me wonders what we would be like if we had grown up in Lorien. Would Marina and I be best friends? Probably not. Would Nine and Six be as tough as they are? Six: maybe not, Nine: oh definitely. We definitely wouldn't know how to handle guns or the best way to knock someone out. We would just be normal kids and most of us would probably not be friends.

Suddenly, i'm strangely glad Lorien was attacked. Then i would never have a family like this.

Xxx

Five

The theme park is awesome. Absolutely amazing. It's where you can get an adrenalin rush, without the potential death. Granted, the rush isn't as good, but it's nice to not worry about dying for once.

Using compulsion, i managed to get us all onto the rides; risky but at least we don't have to queue for hours. Marina also helps using her new legacy. She's coming along well with it, although she's still got a lot to learn. I try and help her through it as best as i can, but patience was never my strong point.

Eight has also been helping Adam with his new legacy. Adam. After our argument yesterday, i haven't spoken to him. I know i'm reinforcing the idea of me being a bitch, but the pain is too strong. He spoke out about my Cepan, _in front of Nine! _I can't speak to him, not just yet anyway. I need to calm down and think things through before i can confront him calmly.

I'm on a bench, eating a hotdog whilst the others go on the ghost train. I've never been a fan of those things, they're just not scary. Sarah is sat with me because apparently she doesn't like them either. I think she's worried that Six might attack her in the dark and it's a justifiable fear.

"Five, do you hate me?" she asks. She knows that i never lie when i'm asked personal questions; i always tell the truth, painful or not. I look at her slowly and sigh.

"I don't hate you... i don't particularly like you, but i don't hate you... I just can't trust you" i say. She nods but smiles.

"That's the most honest answer i've had" she says, taking a bite from her own hotdog. I smile at her and shrug.

"No point in lying to people. Just leads to trouble... well unless i'm on the run of course. Then i lie all the time" i reply. She grins and then looks around, confused.

"It's gone awfully quiet" she says. I look up and notice what she means. There's no one around. No stall sellers, no tourists, no one. Immediately, a sinking feeling forms in my stomach.

"Sarah, is the ghost train still working?" i say evenly, trying to hide my inner panic. She looks towards it and shakes her head.

"Call Sam. Tell him to follow Plan A. He knows what i mean" i instruct her, tossing her my phone. She does so at once and i look around, pulling my dagger out. Mogs have found us, i'm sure of it. They've cleared the place and are now hunting us. Just like they did to John at his school in Paradise. The thrill of being hunted runs through me. Adam's right, i'm a head case.

I concentrate and try to contact Ella. _Ella, you need to get out of there right now. Mogs are here and i can't hold them all off if they attack. _

There's a tense silence as Sarah closes the phone. She's pale as she hands it back to me.

"He got the message" she says, fear in her voice. I'm also nervous and i feel so exposed. I grab her hand and turn us invisible. I immediately feel much better, much safer. Judging by her relieved sigh, she does too.

_Five, we're coming. The ride suddenly stopped but we'll be there soon. We've had no attacks_ Ella calls in my head. I nod and whisper the news to Sarah.

_Got it_ i say. We wait for a couple of tense moments while i locate the mogs. I was right, they're here and they're waiting by the entrance. And there are at least 200 of them. We'll have to split them up and take them to different sections of the park; that's ok, i memorised the map. Once again, paranoia has paid off.

The others suddenly emerge from the ride and Six calls my name. I stop using my legacy and run forwards to them. Marina, Ella and Sarah are all shaking; i guess they're not used to waiting for fights like this. Six, Nine and Eight look determined. Adam... well, i'm still avoiding him.

"Ok, we need to split up. There's at least 200 mogs, a lot, but once they split up they're a lot weaker" i explain. The others nod. It's the one time Nine listens to me; he recognises my superiority in strategy.

"Ok groups... Sarah, John and Six" i say. A weak one with a medium fighter and then a very strong fighter. "Marina, Eight and Adam" i say. That group is more evenly balanced out. Then i grimace. That leaves me with Nine.

"Actually..." i begin, but Six cuts me off.

"No, that will work" she says and i groan. So does Nine. The others laugh, releasing tension, and i look around, hoping the mogs aren't here yet.

"Ok, the mogs are by the entrance and can see our moves through the cameras. We're using this to our advantage; they think we'll be weak when we split up, but we know differently" i say, a wicked grin on my face.

Nine looks excited and i see him pull out his pipe staff. He's deadly with it. We all bought our weapons in case of a fight and i'm glad we did now. Six has her sword out as well.

"Right, Eight. Your group will go to the water rides area. You and Marina have an advantage there with your legacies" i say. They nod and Eight teleports them away instantly. The mogs will be sending a third of their troops there now.

"Ok, Six. Your group go to the food court. That's right to the north and since my group will go to the west, all our three groups will be three points, like a triangle. The mogs will be well and truly spilt up" i say. Six nods and grins at me.

"Nice plan. Have fun" she says and then she and her group split up. I turn to Ella and Nine. He's looking at me with grudging respect and i find myself pleased.

"Ok, we're going to where the big rides are" i say. They nod and we begin to jog there. We'll reach there soon enough but the mogs won't do anything until we're positioned.

"Why are we going there?" Ella asks. Nine has put her on his back so we can sprint faster. I can't go at superspeed but i'm certainly going fast enough.

"Because of Nine's antigravity. If we get into trouble, Nine can take us up the ride and we can cause havoc from above" i explain. Nine grins and looks at me.

"So i do have a use after all" he says. I roll my eyes at him.

"Finally learning your place, i see" i say. Instead of scowling, he laughs and i realise i'm grinning. The desire for battle is racing through me and making me cheerful, a change from usual.

"You may not like it Five, but we're more similar than you think" he says, chuckling.

"Oh please. You wish you had half the IQ i have" i snort. He rolls his eyes and we reach the big ride area. He looks at me, fire in his eyes and his muscles twitching. He's just as eager for battle as me. Maybe he was right. Maybe we are similar after all.

"So, you guys ready to climb?"

* * *

Hope you enjoyed the fluff with Marina and Eight at first. I wanted to do a serious scene where they bare their feelings and all but i just couldn't do it with Eight; it didn't fit his personality.

Also, i thought a fight in a theme park might make a change from an attack in a base.

So, i hope you guys enjoyed it and please review!


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer - I don't own the Lorien Legacies

Hi guys!

Thanks for all your reviews, they are absolutely amazing as per usual and really help my write this story! Thank you! :D

I was going to update this on Monday since you guys all begged me, I felt like I had to update today.

Anyway, thank you to 'arturo' for the suggestion. Although Six's chest and John being Pittacus isn't in this chaper, they are key points to the story coming up. See, I've written a plan but instead of compressing everything into a couple of chapters, I'm spreading it out, so that stuff won't be mentioned for a while but it's there and will come into play.

Also, you guys should totally read 'The Appearance of Ten' by Shanni5555. It is really good; beautifully written and an absolutely amazing story! Well worth a read and a review.

So, please read on!

* * *

Marina

The whole park is eerily silent. Nobody is here and I briefly wonder how on earth the mogs managed to empty the entire place. What's even creepier is that the rides are still running as though people are still in them. I can hear music from the abandoned merry-go-round and a shiver runs down my back. I know it's the mogs' tactic to scare us but it's definitely working.

Adam, Eight and I walk amongst the water rides and try to choose our best one. There are only three so our options are narrow. Five was right to send us here; I can breathe under water and Eight can walk on it. Adam will have to make do with his legacy but I'm, sure he'll be fine; he's very brave.

My body is trembling from nerves and I feel sick. I've never really had time to prepare for a fight like this, usually they just happen and we deal with it. The waiting for the attack is the worst bit. I bite my lip and look around, trying to decide what our best tactic is. I can't concentrate for long and I am soon clenching my fists. I'm absolutely terrified of what could happen.

I jump when i feel a touch against my fist and Eight smiles grimly at me, as he reaches out and holds my hand. I try to smile back but it breaks and I breathe in a shaky breath. He doesn't say anything but I know he's just as nervous as I am; we're only teenagers, after all, fighting an impossible war. However, his presence does make me feel better and I concentrate once more on my surroundings.

"That one looks good" Adam says, pointing to a log flume. I study it and see his point. The water is deep enough for me and the ride is tall enough for Eight to teleport us out of immediate danger so we can attack from above. I nod and walk towards it.

"OK, I say we-" Eight begins but then a cannon blast from a mog gun races towards us. I react instinctively and pull both Adam and Eight down to the ground. The green fire blasts the sign behind us and more starts to race towards us. Using telekinesis, Eight and I begin to divert them.

"We need to go!" Adam shouts to us over the noise of gun shots. Eight nods and grabs our hands. Suddenly, we're higher up on the ride and watching the mogs down below. Adam is clutching a hand gun he brought with him and begins to fire back at the mogs. I continue to re-divert the mog blasts back into the troops.

"There are around 50 or so" Eight says.

I nod and am about to continue, when something slams into my legs and I slip back. My arms wave around and I see Eight lunge for me, but he misses and I fall backwards. A log boat for the ride slides past me as I fall towards the pool of water below. I forgot the ride was still running. I try to catch the tracks but my hands miss. I barely have the sense to cover myself with a telekinetic shield to stop the bullets and then I crash into the water. I breathe in deeply and calm my nerves as best I can in the cold water. Feeling slightly better, I kick for the surface.

Fortunately, I surface towards the back of the pool where the mogs can't see me as well. They probably think i've drowned anyway. Adam and Eight are still on the ride but I can sense Eight's worry for me, despite my legacy for breathing underwater. I roll my eyes and look around.

I see a lone mog soldier approaching the track for the ride and read his intention to blow it up. That can't happen; then Eight and Adam will fall and will be killed. I compel his mind to come closer to the water and as he does, I grab his legs and pull him under. His fellow soldiers notice as he thrashes around in the water but I planned for that. I need to give Adam and Eight a distraction, then Eight can teleport out of there safely.

I hold the mog's head under water and use telekinesis to divert the bullets being shot at me. The mog in my arms soon stops struggling and turns to ash as he drowns. A slow death but necessary. The other mogs have sensed the threat now and group around the pool as though trying to figure out how to kill me.

I panic slightly as they all take aim at me until Eight appears on the water next to me and grabs my arm, pulling me out. He's grinning despite the situation.

"Need a hand?" he asks. I smile and we teleport away, behind a small refreshment stand. The mogs are still firing at where we were and I try not to laugh at their stupidity. Adam is here and grins when he sees me. He's loading a mog gun and is covered in ash.

"Thanks for the distraction" he says. I nod and grab a spare gun.

"How many are left?" I ask, loading mine too. Eight has one in his hands and is peeking out slightly, to count the remaining mogs.

"30. We didn't kill as many as we'd hoped" he says. I frown, frustrated.

"Ok, you go to the water and try and lure the mogs on there. They're so stupid, they may actually fall for it" I say. He nods.

"Adam and I will try and kill as many as we can. Go!" I say and Eight disappears. I hear the mogs cry out; he must have appeared there and begun the damage. I run out and shoot as many mogs as I can. Adam does the same.

We've been shooting and deflecting as many bullets as possible for a couple of minutes, when I hear Adam cry out and I see him fall to the ground. He's been shot in the chest and it looks bad, with blood pouring from his injury rapidly. I swear and run over to him, still shooting at the mogs. Unfortunately, I can't stop many bullets now and I can only try to duck from them as best as I can. I reach Adam and assess the damage. I can heal him but i'll need back-up.

"Eight!" I call out. He doesn't appear and I feel a twinge of fear. I push that away and shoot at a couple of mogs. Adam groans and I drop to my knees next to him, terror pounding through me. I think about compelling the soldiers to stop shooting but it will take too much power and I have to save Adam.

"Eight!" I call out again, desperately, but he doesn't appear. I try to create a shield with telekinesis around me and then focus on Adam. He can't die; his legacy is too vital and he's a good friend. I focus on my healing and I see his chest begin to close up. The mogs are getting closer and closer to us. I try and increase my speed and the bullet flies out of Adam's chest. He gasps and sits up, completely healed. I lean back, exhausted but relieved he's alive.

The mogs have reached us and I lunge for a gun, but i'm whacked on the face with the butt of a cannon. I fall back down, dazed, and look up at the mog in front of me. He grins, his teeth as sharp as daggers. I feel blood trickling down my face from the cut on my forehead and I try to ignore the pain in my head. There are only 10 mogs left now, completely surrounding us, but we're dead anyway. They'll shoot us before we can move.

I see them raise their cannons towards me and I look the one in front of me in the eye. I will not die a coward, no matter what. I try to erase the fear as the mog gets ready to load. I can still try and divert as many shots as possible although I know i won't be successful. I'll be hit by one eventually.

Suddenly, the mog in front explodes into ash and Eight appears behind him with a sword. The other mogs fire at him but I divert them using telekinesis. I grab a gun and shoot some others, whilst Eight teleports around and stabs the rest. There's a sudden silence and I realise all the mogs are dead.

Eight smiles at me relieved and holds out his hand. I grab it and let him pull me up. I stand next to him and assess the damage to the park. It's not that bad and can definitely continue running in a couple of weeks. Pleased with myself for fighting bravely, I turn to the others.

"Thought we were dead then" Adam says, dusting off his clothes. I smile at him and heal the cut on my forehead.

"Same" Eight says. He winces slightly and holds out his arm to me. There's a deep gash that blood is spilling out of and I begin to heal it immediately. He relaxes as the pain eases and the wound disappears. I am even more exhausted now and pull out a small Loric salt, trying to hide the weariness on my face. Eight frowns when he sees me put it in my mouth but he doesn't say anything. He doesn't like the fact that my legacy exhausts me so much but it's a price i'm willing to pay. To me, there's no question.

"Thanks" he says to me quietly. I smile and he brushes my cheek slightly with his hand. It's a small gesture but one that says so much. I blush and look away, trying to suppress the butterflies in my stomach. I use my mind control legacy to search the minds in the park.

"There aren't any more mogs in our area. We need to go to the exit and wait for the others" I say. Eight nods and takes our hands, meaning to teleport us there.

Everything turns black.

Xxx

Six

I know we have a serious fight on our hands, but the first thing that hits me when we enter the food court is that i'd kill for a burger. My stomach rumbles slightly and my mouth waters from the smell of chips and ketchup. I try to ignore that and focus on my surroundings.

John, Sarah and I walk around silently and analyse the area. It's like a ground floor of a shopping centre, with different restaurants and food stalls on either side. Strategy wise it's ok but not ideal. There are lots of place we can hide, but that also means the mogs can too.

We pass an abandoned burger stall and I don't hesitate in grabbing a burger from the display. As I bite into the greasy-deliciousness, I see John grin and do the same. Sarah just stands there meekly and I try not to feel annoyed. _Of course_ Five had to put me with these two.

"Ok, what's our plan?" John asks, his mouth full of burger. I don't feel bad for stealing the food. My excuse was that we'd have energy for the fight now, although I know I just wanted a good American burger.

"Basically, i'm gonna go invisible. I think Sarah should hide somewhere and shoot from there. John, you turn into a human fireball" I sum up.

John nods and grins at me. We're both excited for the fight, though still a bit nervous. Sarah looks terrified and like she might faint. I do feel a bit sorry for her; she's not been bought up to fight for her life and this is a whole new experience for her. But then I remember the state of Eight when we found him and how worn down he and Marina looked after we rescued them, and my pity vanishes.

There's a sudden bang from the entrance of the food court and a shout.

"Where are you? We know you're here" a mog calls out. It's quite creepy considering that cheerful music is still playing in the background. Sarah pales dramatically, beginning to shake. John takes a hold of her hand and smiles at her reassuringly. She tries to smile back but she can't and she looks away.

I grab John and Sarah's hands and we all turn invisible. I immediately feel safer and I begin to look around, searching for a way to defeat the mogs. I see a small Italian restaurant a couple of metres away and i drag Sarah and John towards it. I push Sarah down under a table. She's visible now but not obvious. She'll be safe here.

"I can fight. Give me a gun and i'll help" she says. I scowl at her, even though she can't see me.

"No, I don't trust you with one" I hiss back at her and then I walk away, dragging John behind me. I know it's harsh; she's not going to shoot us.

"She won't turn on us" John whispers to me and I feel my heart tighten at his voice. I steel myself and calm my feelings. I have a fight to worry about right now, not my stupid feelings for John.

Mogs pour into the centre of the food court and stare around, stunned by our lack of appearance. I smirk and reach with my spare hand for my sword. Oh, they don't know what's going to hit them.

I release John's hand like he told me to earlier and he lights up his body with fire, using his Lumen. It's pretty impressive to watch, even if he does smell like smoke afterwards. He charges towards the mogs and they scatter, trying to avoid the flames. I also run into the fray and deal death to them. I slice through the mogs as easily as air and enjoy watching them turn to dust.

Mogs try to shoot at us with their cannons but John and I use telekinesis to divert it. Never has a fight been so easy and simple for us. John's fire is like a shield; green mog fire and bullets dissolve in the heat. I am still invisible and they can't shoot at me because they don't know where I am.

I rip my sword through a mog's stomach and it dissolves to ash, when I step forward and my world explodes. Pain rips through me as i'm thrown through the air and I crash into a wall, visible now. I can't move from the sheer agony and I realise i'm crying. I hear John call my name desperately but he can't reach me; the mogs won't let him help me.

I briefly deduce that I stepped on an explosive that the mogs designed to only hurt the person who stepped on it and guess that my legs are useless. I sit up and vomit at the pain and the sight. My legs are covered in blood and are so ruined; it's hard to see what they are. A mog advances on me and I try to shuffle back but I moan from the agony. Blood loss and pain are making me weak. The mog laughs and aims a cannon at me, his sharpened teeth glinting in the light.

Suddenly, Sarah runs out and, to my great surprise, she tackles the mog. I watch in shock as she stabs the mog with a simple kitchen knife and it turns to ash. She stands back, as surprised as me and then she grabs the gun. She loads it quickly and begins to shoot at the other mogs heading towards us. She's saving my life.

Well, temporarily anyway. I'm still going to die.

Everything begins to turn fuzzy for me and I close my eyes, lying back down. I'm briefly aware of Sarah shouting John's name and I hope he's ok, not dying like me. I think of Marina and Ella, the two girls who are my best friends. I think of Eight who is always cheerful and of Sam, who loves me no matter what. I wonder if Nine and Five will become friends. I hope they can all win back Lorien without me; I hope they find peace.

I wait for the darkness to wash over me but it doesn't. A sudden cold iciness races over me and the pain in my legs increase. They had begun to turn numb but now they awaken, with fire racing through them. I cry out and try to move away but instead i'm held down by someone.

"You are not leaving me Six! You hear me?! You're not going anywhere!" John hisses in my ear.

John. I think of his wonderful blue eyes and expressive face and begin to open my eyes. I have to live for him. To see him again. I can't leave him. The pain in my legs has almost gone and I try to sit up. John leans back, looking exhausted but pleased. My legs are completely healed. I stare at him stunned and then turn to see Sarah shooting a couple of remaining mogs.

"Where are the rest of them?" I ask quietly. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

"I killed them all. When I saw what they had done to you... I sort of went mad. I created a huge fire ball and destroyed most of them. Sarah's finishing off the rest" he says. I reach out and take his hand.

"Thank you for healing me" I say, sincerely. He smiles and squeezes my hand.

"I was just being selfish. If you had died, I wouldn't be the same anymore. So don't worry, I did it for me as well as you" he says. He stands up and looks around. I sit there on the floor, confused and in turmoil after what he just said. Does he still love me, even after everything?

Sarah comes over and takes John's hand. I look away and scramble to my feet. All source of physical pain is gone; emotionally... well that's a different story. I grab a mog cannon and my sword, ready to go to the others.

Something tells me the attack has only just begun.

Xxx

Nine

"Well, this is interesting" I remark, looking around. Five rolls her eyes and flicks a dagger up in the air and then catching it by the handle. I refuse to be impressed by that.

We decided to stay on the ground in the end and use the big rides as a last resort. I, personally, was annoyed by this decision but if Five and Ella get stranded at the top, they're screwed. So now i'm reluctantly at the bottom of the biggest ride in the park, waiting for the mogs to attack.

"Patience is a virtue, one you clearly don't possess" Five retorts. I roll my eyes and stare around.

"When are they coming?" Ella asks, moving closer to me and seeking reassurance. I guess she's never had time to prepare for a big battle like this and she doesn't like fighting, not like Five and I. I reach out and grab her hand and she smiles at me, slightly happier.

"Soon. Five minutes tops" Five replies. She sighs and pulls her hair back in a small ponytail; probably doesn't want to get caught out in a fight. Smart move. Fortunately my hair's a lot shorter now so I don't have to worry about that anymore.

Also, it makes me look hotter.

Ella moves away and looks closer at the big ride. She looks sad and I realise it's still her birthday today. What a terrible birthday. I want to comfort her but I have to get ready for this fight. There'll be a time to reassure her later when we're re-grouped with the others. It's funny, i've never been comforting before but with Ella, I morph into a big brother role.

Suddenly, Ella screams out and I see a mog tackle her. He has a knife in his arm and is stabbing frantically for Ella. They're rolling on the ground, with the mog on top of her. Before I can react, a dagger slices through the air and thuds into the mog's neck. He explodes into ash.

I rush over to Ella and help her up. She's shaking but is otherwise ok. I hug her whilst searching our surroundings for more mogs, switching to battle mode. Five has also come over and is meticulously cleaning her dagger. I nod at her in thanks for saving Ella.

"A scout" Five says. "There will be more soon. I think climbing is our only option" she adds. I nod and let go of Ella. She's still terrified and I bend down to look in her eyes.

"Hey, you're ok. Five and I won't let anything happen to you. OK?" I tell her. She nods and steels herself. Pretty impressive for someone her age.

I grab Five and Ella and throw them over my shoulder; it's easier to carry them that way. I hear Five protest but I ignore her; she's just being difficult. I race up the ride and get to the top of a small loop where both Five and Ella can stand without my help. It's high enough to be safe but we can still cause loads of damage from here.

Just as I let Five and Ella go, mogs pour out of the surrounding area and then stop abruptly. I can hear their confused conversation, as they can't find us. Five laughs and I guess their minds must be pretty hilarious right now.

"Hey! You looking for us?!" I shout down at them. Five laughs even harder and waves at them. Strangely enough, I enjoy having her here; John would tell me to reign it in but instead she's joining in. Maybe she's not so bad after all.

"You might have to start climbing soon!" she shouts down at them and we grin at each other. The mogs look angry and confused at the situation. It's actually quite insulting, that Lorien was defeated by such a bunch of idiots. A couple fire at us but we divert them easily back into the group and soon 10 or so are killed.

Five blows them a kiss and then chucks a couple of knives down at them. Three explode into ash and I grin again; she has incredible aim. The knives must return to her through a charm or something because soon they're back in her hands. I use telekinesis to rip a couple of guns out of the mogs' hands and I chuck one to Ella. I mow them down from our safety spot using the second gun, whilst Five diverts the shots fired our way.

We have a pretty good system going on and i'm really enjoying killing all the mogs, when a sudden ear-splitting explosion fills the air. There's also a horrible screeching sound and the ride beneath us begins to sway. I realise with a panic that the mogs have blown up some support poles and now the part of the ride we're on will collapse.

"Shit!" I swear, trying to keep my balance.

Ella cries out and begins to fall backwards but i manage to catch her arm and I sling her onto my back. Five isn't so lucky. She tries to lunge for me but instead she slips and falls. I try to run for her but i'm not fast enough and she slips past my reach.

The loop of the ride that we're standing on begins to fall properly and I jump and manage to land on another part of the ride. I see Five has landed on a smaller loop below me and i'm relieved she hasn't been killed.

My relief is short lived. The section of the ride we were on crashes into the one Five is standing on now and the whole thing is extremely unstable. I hear her scream in pain but I don't get a scar so she's still alive. For now, anyway. I see the formation beginning to sway and I know there's a strong chance Five will be fully crushed. I have to help her before she's killed.

"Stay here and don't move" I instruct Ella, putting her down. It's a safe spot and she'll be fine. She nods and continues to shoot at mogs. I steel myself and then leap for the whole pile of jumbled metal Five is standing on. Fortunately, with my anti-gravity, I manage to land ok and can move around pretty easily. I reach Five and see her face scrunched up in pain. Her leg has been crushed between the two sections of the ride and I see blood on her hands. Ouch.

"I can't free myself!" she cries, panic and pain in her voice. She's desperately pushing against the ride but it won't budge. I run over and assess the damage. It's really heavy and will be extremely hard to move. But I have to calm her down; panicking won't help.

"Ok, don't worry. We have to prise it apart and then you can pull your leg out" I instruct her, taking control. She nods and takes a deep breath. I admire her strength. Pain is not an issue for her, survival is.

I pull out my pipe staff and pray it won't snap. I push it in the gap between the two mounds of metal and push with all my strength. My muscles scream at me and sweat rolls down my skin, but I am soon able to create a small gap. Never knew rides were so heavy. I see Five shift slightly and try to pull her leg out.

"I need more room!" she shouts, desperation in her voice. I swear and push again, but my staff slips and the track slams back down onto her leg. She passes out from the pain and I swear again. I need her awake! I kneel down and decide to push against the track. I heave and soon the thing begins to move, to my great relief. Who knew rollercoasters were just this heavy? Fortunately, i'm strong enough for it.

"Nine, watch out!" Ella screams and I look up to see green fire heading towards me. Before I can do anything, it's diverted and I hear Five groan. She's barely awake but she just saved my life. But then I guess i'm doing the same for her.

"We need to push. Can you do that?" I ask her. She nods and her face looks determined. I shift to a better spot and realise that i'm behind her, with my arms either side of her. Some part of me realises that I don't mind this contact with her and that she has a nice figure. I tell that part to shut up.

She puts out her arms too, so that she can help me. Together we push against the track and with a huge groan, the whole thing moves and falls towards the mogs below. I grab Five around her waist as she falls slightly and I pull her to a safer place. We're both breathing heavily and sweating.

"Thank you" she murmurs quietly. She looks sleepy and I need to heal her now. I pull out the healing stone she keeps on her all the time and press it to her leg. Her resourcefulness has paid off. She moans and tries to move away, but I hold it there, ignoring her pleas. Gradually, her injury disappears and she looks a whole lot better. She smiles at me and then hugs me. I'm surprised but without thinking, I hug her back too. A temporary peace between us.

I stand up and she gets up too, although she's definitely weaker than before. The fallen piece of ride has crushed most of the mogs and there are only ten or so left. Using telekinesis, I lift a car from the ride and slam it down onto the rest. Soon there's nothing left but a pile of dust.

The track beneath us begins to groan and i grab Five and use telekinesis to lift us towards Ella. This track is safe and we all collapse on the track enjoying the peace. Ella throws her arms around me and I laugh.

"I thought you might die!" she says, clinging to me. Five laughs wearily and lies back on the track. I watch her slightly concerned; her injury drained her more than we thought.

"Nah, we were fine. Piece of cake" I say. Ella giggles and then sits back.

"I hope the others are ok. Should I contact them?" she asks.

"No. We don't want to distract them and besides we're meeting them soon anyway" Five says. I nod and stand up, ready for action.

"Let's go. Where are we meeting them" I ask. I put Five and Ella on my shoulder again and we make our way down the ride quickly.

"The exit" Five says as we reach the ground. I put them down, then I turn around and look at the damage.

"I think the ride might need fixing" I say. Five rolls her eyes and we move away, towards our friends.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed the action! Unfortunately for the Garde, it's far from over! :D

Please review!


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies

Hi guys!

Thank you all so much for the reviews, which are lovely and really nice for me to read. Thanks for taking the time to write me them; I really appreciate it!

Secondly, did anyone read 'The Last Days of Lorien'? Not only am I officially in love with Sandor and Nine even more now but also, it made me feel really sad about the whole destruction of Lorien. I thought it was great because although Sandor is obivously a great Cepan, I never thought he was as committed as he was until I read the book. Now, I feel really sad about his death :'(

Just to clarify even though it's pretty obvious, romances are: 4x6, 7x8 and maybe 5x9... we'll have to see for that last one

So, now I've stopped rambling, please read on...

* * *

John

We run back to the exit, our hearts pounding from more than exertion. I clutch a gun in my hand whilst my sword is in the other. I keep on losing my grip, as my hands are sweaty from nerves. I try and calm down but the image of Six's broken body enters my mind and my breathing quickens. I had been so scared of losing her, so scared of never seeing her smile or hearing her laugh again.

I see her ahead of me, running confidently towards the exit, her dark hair swinging around her head. I shake my head and focus on Sarah, who is currently clinging to my back. We had to sprint to the exit and she couldn't run fast enough.

The exit sign looms up in front of me and I put in an extra burst of energy. I see Marina, Eight and Adam already waiting there. They're looking at something in the distance and pointing towards it. I draw to a halt in front of them and Sarah shakily climbs off my back.

"You're ok" Adam says relieved. I nod and catch my breath. I turn to see what they're looking at and see the half-destroyed rollercoaster that was once the pride of this theme park.

"Nine" I say, sighing. Of course he had to break it; he doesn't do stuff halfway. I see Eight smirk and nod.

"Are you ok?" I hear Marina ask Six. She has blood all over her jeans and there are scorch marks too so I can understand why it looks a bit alarming. Six nods and sighs.

"Bomb. What about Adam?" she says, gesturing towards Adam's shirt. There is also a huge stain of blood there but he seems fine.

"Bullet" he replies, grinning at me. I smile back.

"Anyone need healing?" I ask, looking around. Marina shakes her head.

"Did that already" she says. She looks worn and tired; I guess the healing exhausted her just like it has tired me. It's a hard legacy to have; the others don't realise just how much it takes out of both Marina and I. But I know we're both willing to pay the price.

Just then Five, Nine and Ella run up to us. Nine is grinning, of course, but Five looks pretty beaten down. Like Six, her jeans have blood on them. Ella hops down from Nine's back and hugs Marina. Ella's shaking slightly and looks like she's been crying but she cheers up to see us all ok. I wonder what happened to her and the others.

"So, did you have fun?" I ask Nine. He laughs and stretches.

"Not really. I spent most of the time trying to save the dwarf's life" he says. Five glowers at the name but doesn't say anything. If he did save her life, maybe she feels indebted to him and won't argue. For now anyway.

"Later" Five says to our questioning looks. We all want to know how she almost died and how everyone else got on"We need to get back to the house"

We all nod and run towards the car park. Fortunately, the mogs didn't have time to destroy our car so we are able to use it and drive home. We pile in, not caring about the lack of space right now. The tension in the car is crazy and I feel myself shaking slightly from adrenalin. I hope that is the last of the mogs but i'm not so sure. It seems a bit wistful.

"How long is this journey?" I ask. Sarah is clinging to my arm and I try to ignore how calm Six is in contrast. She looks so sure of herself, no matter what just happened to her. I find my heart beat quicker when she looks my way and I avoid her questioning eyes.

Nine frowns and races out of the car park. "Half an hour normally. Today, 15 minutes" he says. He accelerates down the street. We need to go as soon as possible; the government already know we're here so speeding won't make it worse. In fact, it will save our lives.

"I called Sam. He and Malcolm will be heading towards Chicago right now. Hopefully, they got our chests" Five says. I raise my eyebrows, slightly impressed that she still managed to keep her cool in this crisis and warn Sam.

The rest of the journey passes in tense silence and I find myself thinking about Henri in the quiet. I haven't thought about him in so long and I wish he were here right now. Would he be proud of me? Of course he would. He was always proud of me, no matter what I did. He was always there, despite the situation and now more than ever, I need him here. I need his advice and knowledge about everything. The others are my closest friends but right now, all I want is to return to the time when it was just Henri and I. When things were less complicated.

"What was he like?" I look up and see Five looking at me. She must have read the last couple of thoughts in my mind about Henri. Somehow, i'm not angry that she looked in my mind; it's almost comforting to share Henri's memory with someone else.

"Funny, kind, clever, strong. He was my father" I say, a lump in my throat. Everyone except Nine and Six look at me, but that's because those two are in the front. I know they're listening though.

Five nods and looks away. "I miss my Cepan too" she says, absentmindedly tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"When did she die?" I ask her gently. I expect her to look at me, all sad and heartbroken but her expression hardens. She sits up straighter and stares at me full on.

"Five years ago. I was 10" she says bluntly. Ten years old. I can't imagine surviving at all without Henri even last year when I was 15; he looked after me constantly. No wonder Five is so independent; she grew up by herself. I see the others look at her sympathetically and Nine looks ever so slightly impressed.

"Katarina was killed in a mog base when I was 13" Six says, looking out the window. This is our source of comfort; sharing our stories with the others before what could be a major battle. Maybe one of us might even die. I see Eight look down and then sigh.

"Reynolds was killed by mogs when I was 14, because of Lola. That was three years ago" he says, sadly. I see Marina take his hand and they smile at each other. I don't ask who Lola is but I feel his pain. All these deaths were unnecessary; we could all still be alive and on Lorien. But death seems to follow us wherever we go.

"Adelina died in the convent in Spain a couple of months ago" Marina says. We all fall silent. We know things didn't go well between her and her Cepan, though we don't know the whole story, and I feel a deep pity for her. Imagine having to live like that by yourself all those years, your Cepan refusing to believe or help you. This time Eight is the one comforting Marina and I see him wrap an arm around her shoulder.

I feel a pang of pain and I look away. Sarah and I can never be like that anymore; too much has happened and we're only becoming more and more distant. I don't think I can heal the gap between us anymore and that makes my heart break. I never wanted things to go like this.

"Crayton died in India, two months back" Ella says sadly. I take her hand as she's next to me and I see her smile.

"Sandor was captured by mogs and tortured. I watched it all but never said a word. Then I killed him" Nine says flatly, no emotion in his voice.

I stare at him horrified; so do the others. He's never told me his full story and now I see why; he wanted to keep the pain locked away. I can never imagine having that much strength and bravery to not say a word if Henri were hurt and then to kill him. I suddenly respect Nine all the more and see the others looks at him the same.

We pull up to the street leading to the house and I feel the tension in the car escalate. Five stretches and then grabs her weapons; I do the same. The car stops and we rush outside, waiting for an attack. Instead, the sight is a lot different than what we expected.

I stare around, stunned.

"Oh my god" Sarah whispers from behind me.

The entire street full of houses is gone.

Xxx

Sam

It was Bernie Kosar who warned up first. Malcolm and I had been sitting in the kitchen, drinking coffee and watching the news. I had been thinking of Six and John and how I wished they would just get together. Although I do like Six and I feel sorry for Sarah, those two are made for each other. ANd I'm not usually a sappy person and I can admit that.

Anyway, we had been talking about some irrelevant news article when BK raced into the room, growling and shaking. I remembered him doing something similar when John, Six and I had been attacked in Florida and I was immediately on my guard. But I didn't suspect anything.

It was when Sarah called me and told me to follow Plan A, that I knew there was real trouble. That had been a couple of minutes afterwards and I knew we had very little time. I had grabbed BK and Malcolm and escaped the house, without taking anything else. Dad suggested we leave the car and we had run down the coast path. We hadn't gotten very far when the houses at the end of the road began burning.

I remember the screaming of the innocent citizens and the smoke pouring out of the windows. I had been crying at what I'd seen; despite all I'd been through, I could still be horrified. Malcolm had had to pull me away from the road and we'd eventually grabbed a car. I can't really remember much else but we got away.

BK is whining in the back and huffing. He's upset that we had to abandon John and the others. I want to comfort him but I feel just as bad. We also left the chests there and I can only hope that the others managed to get them.

Dad sighs and switches the radio off. Silence fills the car and I realise that after today, we may not see some of the others again. Judging by Dad's face he feels the same.

"They'll be fine" Malcolm says, patting my arm. He knows I'm upset. I sigh and look at him.

"We left their chests and everything. I can't believe we did that" I say, wringing my hands. He shakes his head.

"We had no choice; we would have been captured and been used as bait instead. We did what was best for us and them. We can't reveal any information" he says. I nod but I can't agree with him. Only when I know the others are safe, will I feel the same.

There's more silence and I can't bear it. I want to ask him where he was all those years but I don't want to find out really. Something tells me it was horrible.

"So, how was school?" Malcolm asks. I look at him and laugh. Such a generic question, but one that doesn't apply to me anymore.

"It was horrible until John turned up. I was bullied but then he kicked ass" I say. Malcolm laughs and shakes his head.

"I should have been there... I was just so excited about the prospect of another planet, another world" he says. I nod. I understand his passion for space, it fills me too.

"So where are we going now?" he asks. I just told him to head as far away as possible for the mean time until we were sure we weren't being followed.

"Chicago. Apparently there's a safe house on the top floor of the John Hancock building. I have a note to get us there" I say. Dad nods and then whistles.

"Nice place" I nod and then look forward, towards the road.

The silence begins again.

Xxx

Ella

We stare at the barren street in shock and horror. Every house has been burned to the ground; there are no survivors. Or hopefully they weren't there to begin with. I can smell smoke in the air and I feel tears come to my eyes. I hope no humans died because of us, because we decided to relax here.

Five is the first to move and she picks her way through a neighbouring house. She stops at one point and her face scrunches up in disgust.

"Don't let Ella look too closely" she calls back to us and I step forwards automatically, wanting to know what she doesn't want me to see. I have a small idea but it's so horrifying, I can't think about it too much. Nine grabs my arm and shakes his head.

"Don't kid. Not now" he says. I realise that I was right; humans were killed in this attack and their remains are still here. I don't want to see anymore and I sag to the floor, crying. It's all so much to take in. The guilt overwhelms me. These people were innocent and they had to die because we were careless.

This time a couple of months ago, it was just Marina and I in the convent. Papa watched over us and Olivia was still alive. How did everything go wrong?

I feel a pair of arms wrap around me and I lean my head against Marina. I sob into her hair as she strokes my own locks. She whispers nonsense to me in Spanish but it's comforting and that's all I want. I wish it were just her, Papa and I again. That was when the world made sense.

"Hey, we're still a team and we always will be. Right Ella?" she whispers in my ear and I nod, slightly comforted. She's right; we'll always be there for each other, no matter what. She knows that makes me feel better but now I need to pull myself together and be prepared to fight, like the others. The mogs won't let us go without an attack of some sorts. I pull back and wipe my eyes. Marina smiles at me and helps me stand up. The others look away and i'm grateful. I don't want them to see me weak.

Nine grabs my hand and ruffles my hair. He grins at me ruefully and I feel better already. I stand next to my two favourite people in the world and suddenly things don't look so bad.

"Ok, our chests are still here" Five calls out. With the help of Eight and Six, she lugs them to the rest of us. I look around, suspicion creeping into my mind.

"Sam and Malcolm won't have had enough time to escape with everything but at least they're gone" she says. I see the others nod, but a horrible idea starts to creep into my head.

"If the chests have just been left here, but the houses were burned down, doesn't that mean the mogs decided to leave the chests here on purpose..." I say, trailing off at the end. Nine suddenly swears and Six pales.

"It's a trap!" she shouts and then the first bomb explodes.

Xxx

I run along the beach, the piken snapping at my heels. Marina is holding my wrist and is desperately pulling me along but I can't run that fast. I don't have superspeed. I can see some of the others ahead: Eight, Nine and Six. All are fighting the huge army of mogs, sent to capture us. I don't know where the rest are; they were lost in the bomb attack.

We were thrown around by the bombs and I was faintly able to communicate to everyone to go to the beach; Six's command. Marina was close to me and managed to drag me away before we could both be seriously injured, if not killed. I haven't received any scars, so I know the others are alive. For now.

I trip and fall and the piken lunges for me. Marina turns around and grabs me as the piken swipes a huge claw at us. I think we're about to be shredded to human ribbons when we disappear and then reappear, a couple of metres away. Eight is next to us and I realise he must have teleported us to safety. I see Five lightly pounce onto the piken's neck and decapitate it swiftly with her sword. I'm impressed.

"Where are the others?" Marina shouts to Eight, over the sound of gunfire and bombs. He looks worried and hands us both a gun. I handle it easily and feel much better with it in my hands.

"Nine, Six and Adam are down there! Five is here now but we can't find Sarah or John!" he calls back. I panic and spin around, desperately hoping to find him. I clear my mind and try to remain calm as I try to communicate with John.

_John? Can you hear me? Are you on the beach?_ I ask him. I wait for a moment, whilst Marina drags me down the beach at a fast pace and then, to my great relief, he replies.

_We're ok. Just got a bit stuck. We'll be there soon_ he says. I breathe a sigh in relief and convey the news to the others. Eight nods grimly and I realise that we're in a very bad situation. Marina is continuously shooting down mogs and I follow her lead. We make a small dent in the army but it's continuous. Despair begins to fill me.

"We need to escape!" Six says, appearing with Adam and Nine. John and Sarah also appear at that moment. Five is nowhere to be seen again, but guessing by the random explosions of ash, I think she's ok.

"Five! Come on!" Nine shouts, sounding annoyed. A couple of seconds later she appears, covered in ash and _smiling_. Does she not know how serious this is?

"You called" she says. She waves her hand and a huge wave sweeps a quarter of the army into the sea with a huge wave, effectively drowning them. She laughs gleefully and I see Nine hide a grin. Despite the hopelessness, they still love a fight.

"We need to go!" Six repeats. I see the mogs closing in and the mood drops. We're doomed. There are so many and we're weak and need rest. I see Sarah crying but I can't hate her. I just pity her and I take her hand. Might as well forgive her if we're going to die.

Eight's face lights up and he concentrates. He begins to shape shift until he has eight arms; one for each of us.

"I'll try and teleport!" he shouts to us. I see a bomb thrown towards us but Nine uses telekinesis to throw it back into the mogs. They scream in pain as it explodes and sand is thrown up around us.

I hesitate as I take Eight's hand. Last time, it went so wrong. Six must realise this too because she grabs John and Sarah's hand instead of Eight's.

"Go into your groups!" she orders and I see her point. If we separate, we might as well be in groups. Hopefully, it will never come to that. Marina grabs Eight and Adam's whilst Nine, Five and I join hands.

"This is just precautionary" she says as the mogs continue to fire at us, desperate now they see we might escape. Fortunately, someone is concentrating well enough to divert the blasts. Eight grabs our wrists whilst I cling to Nine and Five, hoping everything will work out.

I look out to the beach and see hundreds of mogs charging at us, waving their cannons and swords in a panic, realising we're about to escape. I close my eyes and concentrate on Crayton's face and try not to panic. I need to be calm.

I hear a loud exploding noise and then everything turns black.

* * *

Oh dear. Do you think the teleporting will work? Or will it mess up, like in the Rise of Nine?

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review!


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies.

Hi guys!

Huge thanks to the lovely reviews! We've got over 200! For a massive thanks, I'll try and update by tomorrow evening (and the very latest the next morning) :D so thanks so much for all the reviews and i'm so glad you enjoy my story!

I was told in a review by sklbell that Eight couldn't teleport more than 250 feet unless he was at a Loralite stone. Thank you so much for reminding me and luckily I managed to find an excuse to make it still out otherwise the poor Garde wouldn't be alive much longer. So thank you :D

Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter :)

* * *

Sarah

The first thing I register is the rain. It's cold and continuous, falling steadily onto me as I lie on the ground. I shiver from the iciness and curl up in a ball.

The second thing I register is that I feel sick. Really, horribly sick with a stabbing pain in my head and nausea washing all over me. I groan and wrap my arms around myself more securely.

"Sarah, are you ok?" I hear John ask. I look up into his blue eyes, filled with concern, and nod. I let him help me sit up and I lean against him, weak. He rubs my bag and I feel a flash of heat from his touch. Despite him kissing Six, I still deeply love him. I can't help my feelings about him and to be honest, I wouldn't change them even if I could. He's too perfect to not want to love.

John wraps an arm around me and rests his head against mine. I smile at his need for my comfort and I take his hand. Things may have gone wrong between us but we never stopped loving one another. That was always there.

I see Six sitting up and shaking her head, disorientated. We're in a big field, filled with cows that have hidden at one end. Probably scared of our sudden appearance. John's chest is sitting next to us.

"Oh no" I gasp, as I realise I can't see any of the others. Six has crawled her way over and nods when she hears me.

"Yep, we've been separated again" she says, scowling. Somehow, I think she's forgiven me more because she doesn't say anything biting to me. Hopeful, I smile at her and feel my heart lift when she smiles back. Maybe things aren't so bad after all.

"Where do you think they are?" John asks, grimly looking around. The rain is still falling but none of us care; we have bigger things to worry about.

"No idea. Hopefully somewhere in the US" Six says. I nod and stand up.

"Is that where are we then?" I ask, gaining some confidence. I never felt self-assured with the others but now that the group has cut down, I feel slightly better. Six looks surprised by me talking, because I've been so quiet recently, but not in a bad way. Maybe we can be friends after all.

"Looks like it. Can't tell for sure though" John says, standing next to me. Six joins us.

"How the hell did we get so far? I thought Eight could only teleport 250 feet unless there's a Loralite stone?" I ask. John frowns but Six nods.

"I thought about that. I have two ideas. The less likely one: our Loralite pendants were strong enough to make us teleport longer distances. The other one: Lorien helped us escape" she explains.

"What?" I ask stupidly. She smiles despite the serious situation.

"Malcolm said it was waking up so I think it's started to help us more. We would have died if we couldn't have escaped. Lorien helped us to survive" she says. I nod and John grins in pleasant surprise.

"Ok, well then our plan is to get to Chicago. That's where Five said Sam would be" she says, standing with her hands on her hips. I wish I could be as strong as her but I can never be like that. It's just not me.

"Wait, John, didn't you say you have a globe that lets you see the others' whereabouts?" I ask. John grins at me and nods.

"Great idea, Sarah!" he says and I glow from the compliment. Yep, still definitely infatuated with him. I see Six smirk at my red cheeks and I blush even more.

John bends down and unlocks his chest by pressing his hands to the lock. With a click, it opens and he rummages inside it for a while. He pulls out a small bag and opens it, dropping small balls into his hand. He throws them into the air and they form a glowing solar system. I stare at it, amazed and he grins at me.

"This is Lorien" he says, shining his Lumen on one ball. It glows and turns from dull grey to a beautiful and vibrant planet. I feel tears form in my eyes as I realise just how much the mogs destroyed. A light pulses in the centre and John frowns slightly.

"The light's bigger than it was last time" he says, confused. Six moves closer, an awed look on her face.

"What does that mean?" she asks. I listen, interested.

"It could mean Lorien's awaking. Henri always said this light meant it was hibernating but now it could be waking for real! Which means your eariler theory is definitely correct" he says, excited towards the end. The two of them share a grin and I feel a pulse of jealousy flash through me. No matter how much he loves me, John shares a special connection with Six because they're both Loric. I can't ever beat that.

"What's it doing now?" I ask, alarmed as the globes start speeding up in their rotation. Soon they all blur together and then a miniature globe of Earth is formed. There are pulsing lights in certain places and I lean closer, transfixed. John just smiles.

"Ok, so there aren't any of us in America" Six says, studying the globe. John curses and I look around, wondering what country we're in now.

"There are two in England; that must be us" Six says. John snorts and shrugs.

"Figures, there's rain" he says. Those two laugh and again I feel jealous. I shake it off and point to two more lights.

"Two are in Egypt" I say. Six nods and frowns.

"I hope they're all right" she says, absentmindedly. I nod.

"They will be. Based on their geography, they're near the Nile which means civilisation" I say, secure in my knowledge. John grins and squeezes my hand, proud of me I guess. I grin at him and I see Six roll her eyes, annoyed.

"And three are in Russia. Judging by the groups, that must be Five, Nine and Ella. Which means Marina, Eight and Adam are in Egypt" John finishes.

Six sighs and pushes her hair back. "Why couldn't we end up in somewhere like Australia or Brazil? Not England. There's nothing exciting here just rain" she says. John laughs and nods but I shake my head.

"That's not true. England is filled with history and it's a fascinating country. I've heard London is the place to visit" I contradict. I flush, realising I've just opposed Six but she just grins.

"Touché. First, I think we find shelter and then make a plan to go back to the US" she says. John nods and puts away the globe, shutting his chest at the end. He hoists it up and cradles it under one arm.

"Agreed. But first, I'd love to try an English cup of tea" he says in a British accent, winking at Six. She laughs as they walk ahead, talking about stereotypical English stuff.

I trail behind, feeling left out and filled with self-pity.

Xxx

Adam

I wake up lying face down on burning sand. A punishing heat beats down on me and i'm sweating intensely. I groan from the pain behind my eyes and my desperate need for water. I taste sand in my mouth and I spit it out with what little moisture I have.

I push myself up onto my elbows and slowly open my eyes. The sun blinds me and I immediately shut them. I lean forward and rest my arms on my knees, with my head in my hands. What fresh hell is this?

"Adam?" I hear Marina ask. I look over, still blinking madly from the light, and see her stagger to her feet. She stumbles over to Eight, who is not far from me. He is unconscious and looks in a bad way. Worried, I drag myself over to them. Marina rests her hand on his forehead and closes her eyes in concentration. I look around, trying to figure out where we are, but I can only see sand. Two chests are sitting near us but i'm too weak to think about getting them just now.

Marina sighs and leans back. She looks pretty rotten too, but she's in the best shape out of us all. Eight is still unconscious and I frown. He looks pale beneath his tan and his brow is shining with sweat. I see Marina gently brush his hair back, despite the fact he's not awake to feel it. Must be a love thing.

"He must have fainted from the teleporting. He'll wake up soon but for now, I can carry him. We have to get to water as soon as possible" she says. I nod and stand up. I grab one chest but I know I can't carry both. I see Marina has picked up Eight and slung him on her back. Then, she bends down and carries the second chest. Loric strength and all that, I guess.

"Where are the others?" I ask. I haven't seen them at all and by the look on Marina's face, they're not here.

"I have no idea but they won't be near enough to help. When Eight last teleported, Six was separated from us by almost an ocean. So the others could be anywhere for all we know" she says. We begin walking in a random direction and already I feel my strength sapping.

"Where are we?" I ask. Marina sighs again and I see her move her chest into a more comfortable position.

"Again no idea. There will have been a Loralite stone nearby wherever we are and maybe where we teleported from. I would love to stay there until Eight wakes up but we need water and we won't get that back there" she says. I nod and continue walking.

The sun beats down on us and soon I stop sweating from lack of moisture in my body. My mouth is as dry as the ground we're walking on and I feel my breath quicken. I need rest and water, fast.

I think of Five and our last conversation, which was more of argument. I remember the expression on her face and I wish I could just talk to her now, see if she's all right. I can't stand the thought of her being hurt because of me. Despite everything I said, she's still my best friend and I love her. I just hope she managed to escape from the beach like I did, even if we ended up here. Better to die in freedom than in captivity.

Marina plods on continuously next to me and I take comfort in her presence. As long as we stick together, we'll be fine. Hopefully. I scan the horizon but still, there's nothing. Despair begins to fill me and I try to stop my rising panic. I can't afford to think like this, dying is not an option.

My skin is blistering from the sun but I know that Marina will heal me when we get back to civilisation. If we get there. My feet are burning from the hot ground and the wind plasters sand onto my skin and into my hair. We must have been walking for an hour now but I know i'm almost finished.

"Hey, what's that?" Marina croaks. Like me, she has very little liquid left in her body. I see her weakly pointing towards something in the distance. It's a green blob and as my eyes focus, I think I see trees. Trees! I'm thrilled because where trees are, there's bound to be a source of water.

"We need to get there" I reply, my voice scraping against my throat. Marina nods, determined, and hoists Eight into a better position.

Our spirits lifted, we walk briskly towards the trees. It takes around half an hour to get there, but we are so excited by the prospect of a couple of drops of water, we don't care. My feet are bleeding from cutting them on rocks in the sand and I see Marina is not much better. My arm is almost dead from carrying the chest but as we reach the edge of the trees, a huge grin plasters onto my face.

Grass begins to appear under our feet. Tough and coarse but grass all the same. We're running now, through the trees to the greenest area. I think I can hear the lapping of water and I increase my speed. When I finally break through the trees, I could cry at what I see. A huge river slowly winds through the desert and I drop to my knees, the chest landing next to me.

Marina is already there, drinking water slowly down by the river in a shaded part. I briefly remember the warning to not drink loads after almost dying from dehydration. I lean down by the river's edge and reverently take a sip of water. The liquid on my tongue and in my mouth immediately invigorates me and I drink only a little bit, before leaning back. I don't care about the cleanliness of the water; I just need it. I know Marina and I won't leave for a while, so I have plenty of time to enjoy the water.

I see Marina pull Eight down to the river. She lies him down next to me and I pour a handful of water over his face. He needs to drink too; he needs to wake up.

He groans and rolls over, woken up by the water on his face. I see the relief on Marina's face as she begins to gently help him up. He still looks weak but at least he's awake. He takes a long drink from the river and Marina and I do the same. The water is heaven.

Eight sits back up and rubs his face, confused. Marina stands up and retrieves our chests, bringing them to us. I lean back against the bank and enjoy the shade and the gentle wind cooling me down. I would love a swim but right now, I feel too tired.

"Where are we?" Eight asks. I look at him and smile grimly.

"No idea. We were hoping you could tell us that" I say. Marina has stood up and is looking around with her hands on her hips. She shakes her head at us and sighs, amused.

"Really guys? We're in Egypt. Don't either of you recognise the Nile" she says. I stare around, stunned. One minute we're in New Hampshire, now we're in the land of the Pharaohs. Or dead ones, anyway. No wonder Eight was tired.

"Oh shit" Eight groans. I see Marina smile and then sit down, taking his hand.

"Where are the others? And how did we end up here?" he asks, completely lost. I grin, cheered up by the water and shrug.

"No idea to your first question. Luckily, we must have split up in our groups, thanks to Six's suggestion. As for how we got here, we landed in the desert about an hour and a half away. Marina carried you and a chest whilst I bought the other one until we got here" I say. Eight smiles at Marina gratefully and hugs her.

"Thank you, both of you" he says. He's pretty overwhelmed and i'm guessing he feels guilty too. Another time his teleporting has gone wrong.

"Look, it's not your fault" Marina says, sensing the same thing. "You saved us by getting us out of there. But now, we need to get to people and then we make it back to Chicago. The others will do the same" she reassures Eight. He nods and leans his head on her shoulder. He still looks tired from the teleporting.

I sigh and stretch, knowing eventually we'll have to go. But for now we can stay and relax by the Nile.

At least mogs won't attack us here.

Xxx

Five

I lie on the frozen ground, sort of wishing I could just lie here and enjoy the peace. Despite the freezing conditions, it's just nice to lie down for once without worrying about being attacked. I groan and sit up, looking around. At first, I panic, thinking i'm all alone but then I soon see Ella and Nine some distance away. Both are unconscious and I roll my eyes. Just great.

We're lying on frozen tundra; sturdy grass, small hills and occasional patches of snow. A frosty wind whips through this barren wasteland and I shiver, pulling my thin jacket closer around me. It's not enough but it's better than nothing.

I wonder where the others are but I know they will be far away from me. Although Six had told us to hold hands with our groups in precaution, I think we all knew that we would be separated. However, I had no idea that I'd end up somewhere out of America. Nine, Ella and I landed in Russia, that much i'm certain of.

I stand up, tired, but then fall to the ground after a stab of pain in my side. I groan and lift my jacket up, to examine the damage. There's quite a deep wound, bleeding slightly and it's very painful. I must have gotten it on the beach without realising. I press the healing stone to it but I must have been out some time because it won't heal now. I curse in frustration.

I pull my jacket off and then my shirt off, in nothing but jeans and a bra. I'm glad Nine isn't up right now to laugh at me. I use my legacy to warm the air around me; otherwise I would turn into a living ice statue. I rip my t-shirt into long ribbons and then tie it around my waist like bandages. Proper stitches will have to wait.

Once i'm happy with my makeshift bandages, I pull my jacket back on and stand up. I grimace slightly from the pain but I'll soon get used to it. I make my way over to Nine and Ella. Ella is very pale, from the cold and the teleporting. I can't see any gaping wounds on her so I have to assume she's all right.

I kick Nine in the side and he moans and rolls over. He's barely conscious but he will have to wake up. I can't carry them both with my injury.

"Get up" I hiss in his ear, bending down to his level. He moans again and I swear, realising just how badly the teleporting affected him. I pull Ella onto my back and fasten her there by telekinesis. It will have to do. I grab the two chests and put one under my arm. The weight is not helping my wound but I will just have to deal with it. I hook my other arm around Nine and pull him up. He stumbles and leans onto me heavily. He's half unconscious; the teleporting must have affected him badly, just like Ella. I shove the second chest into his arms and then drag them along, Nine barely able to walk.

Using mind control, I search miles around us and locate a small town four hours away. I can do that. As we walk, I admire the beauty of the cold tundra around me. It's an unforgiving place; a cold desert. There must be Loralite around here somewhere but unfortunately we have to leave it. Not that we could do anything with it.

I drag Nine along for at least two hours; he's unconscious now so i'm just pulling him by the waist. I'm exhausted and my arms are almost numb from use. He's heavy! Ella isn't too bad but my wound is sapping my energy. I hope Nine wakes up soon to help me. I wonder why those two were affected and I wasn't. Maybe it's just a coincidence.

I think of Adam and hope he's all right. I hope his situation is better than mine anyway. Seeing as he's probably with Marina, he'll at least have someone to heal him. Right now, I'd kill for someone to teleport here and heal me. My wound is burning with pain and I can feel the blood seeping into my bandages. I bite my lip and try to blink the tears away. I'll worry about it later, not now.

I trip and fall over a small rock, dropping Nine and Ella. She rolls away and the chests thud next to me. I close my eyes, succumbing to exhaustion.

Xxx

I hear a groan and open my eyes. I haven't been out for long, half an hour at most, as the light hasn't changed that much. Soon it will be dark here though.

I sit up, feeling better for the best, and see Nine shaking the sleep away. I never thought I'd be so glad to see him awake. He smiles when he sees me but frowns when he notices Ella is still unconscious and we're all alone. I'm too tired to care. I realise that I can't feel the cold and I know that we've been exposed for too long. We need to get to people soon.

"Where are we?" he says, helping me stand. I'm unsteady but don't feel anything from my wound. Right now, that doesn't bother me although I know it can't be a good sign.

"Russia. We arrived a couple of hours ago but you two were unconscious. I dragged you guys here but then passed out half an hour ago" I say. He nods, barely remembering what happened.

"Sorry" he says, looking a bit guilty. I shrug and bend down, picking up the two chests. In turn, he picks up Ella and cradles her in his arms protectively. To be honest, I'd kill to be carried but I know that I can't. I have to be strong.

"There's a town about two hours away. I can compel someone to help us once we get there" I say. Nine nods and we begin walking.

I create a small dome of heat around Nine and I, using my element legacy. We continue walking for about an hour or so when he smiles at me.

"Thanks" he says and I know it's for more than the weather. It's for carrying him and Ella this far. I nod and continue to walk.

"Well, you saved my life back in the theme park. An eye for an eye and all that" I say. Nine laughs.

"That usually applies to revenge, not helping someone in return" he says. I shrug, ignoring the technicalities. "But you're welcome. I couldn't let you die" he says. I look at him surprised.

"Why not? Most people would" I say. He looks away, towards the small smudge that is the village. Another 45 minutes and we'll be there. The relief makes us walk faster.

"I don't know... obviously you're useful to us but... you're not a bad person. Granted we got off on the wrong foot, but genuinely I think you're a nice person and I couldn't let you die" he says. Strangely, I feel happy at his admission and I find myself disturbed at the joy I felt when he said he didn't want me to die.

"Well, thanks anyway" I say, effectively stopping the conversation.

We continue to walk for longer until we reach the village. It's silent and empty; no one is around. I realise it must be very late and that most people will be in bed. There's a small square and we stop there, deciding where to go. My wound re-opened half an hour ago and every step I take sends a shooting pain through me. I try not to make a noise but I know i'm in serious trouble. I need to get help now.

"I say we knock on a random door and you see whether you can trust that person" Nine says. I nod weakly, just wanting to sleep. We trudge towards the back of the town; we want to attract the least attention as possible.

After five minutes, we reach the last house and we begin to walk towards it when I slip on some ice. I cry out at the stabbing pain emitted from my waist and I bend over. Nine turns and grabs my arm, as I double over in pain. He uses telekinesis to put Ella on the ground and then holds me up. He looks very concerned and shakes me slightly. Not helpful at all.

"Five, what's wrong?" he says.

"Wound... in my side..." I gasp out. The pain has really hit me now; I must have pulled something when I slipped on the ice. Nine frowns and pulls my jacket up, to see my injury. He hisses when he sees my t-shirt bandages soaked with blood. I'm almost out of it.

"Five, you should have told me!" he says, shaking me again. I ignore him and collapse forward. I feel him grab me and lie me down onto the ground. I slip away into a dream-like state, my injury finally taking over me.

I'm not really aware of much after that but I do remember feeling a pair of strong arms lifting me up and the chatter of Russian. I felt myself being deposited in a soft bed but then after that everything went dark.

* * *

Ok, I know some of you wanted the teleporting to work whilst others wanted it not to. There are reasons I decided to split them up:

1) It means way more FivexNine interaction :)

2) More action and fights

3) Different storylines

4) I can still focus on all characters instead of shoving some to the back while I deal with others

5) I needed a good storyline

6) I'm mean :D

So, if you don't totally hate my story now please review! I promise to put loads of 5x9 stuff in if you do!

P.S. I'll probably put it in anyway :D


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I do not own the Lorien Legacies

Hi guys!

I updated as soon as possible because I promised that I would in the last chapter as a special thanks for getting to 200 reviews :D

First of all, a huge thanks to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate every review and love your feedback for my story. Please, please, please keep the coming and I'll do my best to make the chapters as good as possible for you all.

Secondly, I'm really glad you liked the separation. I was a bit worried that you would all hate my story because of it but I'm so happy that you like it. So as promised, I have put some 5x9 _and _some 4x6 in this chapter. 7x8 is sort of a given because I love them :D

Also, it's getting into exam period for me and these ones are sooo important for me. I'll try and update every three days after this, but if i'm out by a day or so it's because i'm so busy. I know you guys will be patient because you're all so awesome :D but i'll reward you at the end of May with loads of updates to make up.

So on with the story...

* * *

Six

We've been in England for two days now and i'm beginning to love it. Obviously, America is still my home, but I can definitely see myself living here. We're currently staying at a small hotel in London; however I know we'll soon have to leave to go back to America. Somehow I find myself sad about that.

The first thing that crept up on me about England was the tea. They _love_ tea! I've had about two to three a day but that is like the minimum here. It's hilarious and cute at the same time.

The second thing is that they have a great sense of humour. British comedy, such as the series the Inbetweeners, is my new addiction. It's awesomely funny and has kept me highly amused. There's no limit to how much they swear on the shows.

The third thing is they love to complain here. Especially about the weather, which is an obsession for them. It's every conversation starter here; it's like a ritual.

I lie on the small camp bed in the hotel room and flick through channels on the TV. John and Sarah are sitting at the desk, researching on the small computer about flights to the US. I want to get back there but something tells me that we need to stay here, that we came here for a reason. What reason, I don't know. I hope I figure it out soon.

I stretch and stand up. John looks up and smiles but Sarah continues staring at the screen. She's become quiet and withdrawn since Pennsylvania and I do feel sorry for her. Recently, I've tried to build bridges with her again and I realise I don't hate her anymore. A positive development in my opinion.

"Where are you going?" John asks, as I grab my jacket. I smile and sling my bag over my shoulder.

"Sightseeing. Might as well see the sights whilst we're here" I say. He grins and stands up, pulling on his own coat.

"Can I join you?" he says. I nod, secretly thrilled and then turn to Sarah. Her face is closed off but I see pain in her eyes. I feel bad again but I want to be with John by myself.

"Are you coming?" John asks her. She shakes her head and turns back to the computer.

"No, you guys go and enjoy yourselves. I'll do some more research" she says. I nod again and celebrate inside. A couple of hours for John and I to be alone!

"Ok, see you later" I call, as we head out the door. I see her shoulders stiffen and her head droop as we shut the door.

Despite myself, I still feel terrible.

Xxx

"So what do we do now?" John asks, taking a sip from his coffee. He's wearing a 'I love London' shirt and a cap with a London cab on it. He looks like such a tourist. I can't help but laugh at some of the looks he's been receiving but he doesn't seem to care. He has about five London-themed key rings attached to his backpack; all he needs now is a camera around his neck.

"We've seen Buckingham palace, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, ridden on the London Eye and looked at Oxford Street, and you _still_ want to do more?" I ask.

He grins and shrugs. "Why not? We've got nothing to get back to" he says. He then suddenly seems to realise what he's said and he blushes, looking away. I internally whoop for joy at the open acknowledgement that he and Sarah are not getting on at all and he doesn't want to see her. However, I don't say anything out loud; I don't want to make him feel even more awkward.

We're walking through a small park in London and I stop and sit on a bench. I'm also carrying a cup of coffee and I take a sip, the liquid slowly warming me. John joins me and sighs, looking out at the trees.

"What's going on with you two?" I ask, looking at him sympathetically. No matter my feelings for him, I'll still always be there for him for comfort.

"Sarah's so withdrawn and distant; I don't think she'll ever be the Sarah I feel in love with again" he says. He looks close to tears and I realise this has been bothering him loads. I don't say anything and wait for him to continue.

"She never laughs as much, she's not as confident, she's lost faith in herself... I don't know if I love this new version of her" he says. A tear spills out of the corner of his eye and I take his hand, my own heart breaking. I hate to see him sad, even if it's about Sarah.

"_Do_ you love her?" I ask. I don't know what to think really about this new development.

"Yes and no. I love the old her but this new one needs help and I can't leave her in her moment of need" he sighs and looks into my eyes. "But I can't help but love you more"

My heart misses a beat and then suddenly picks up in speed. I feel my emotions lift and a smile forms on my lips. I'm over the moon at his admission. He smiles at my expression and then leans forward to kiss me.

It's not the wild, passionate kiss like before; this one is slow and sweet. One hand touches my face, gently tilting my chin but he keeps a safe distance from me other than that. We don't want to get too distracted. I kiss back, enjoying this moment of pure bliss. There's really nothing like kissing the guy you love.

He pulls back and leans his head on my shoulder. I know he's conflicted but he feels stronger love for me; that i'm sure about. I lean my head against his and we remain silent for some time. Eventually he pulls back, a determined look on his face.

"I'll have to end it with her but when we're in America. Not now, not in a foreign country. She's been through enough as it is" he says. I nod; disappointed even though I know it's the kindest thing.

"And this can't happen again until she's out of the picture" I say. He sighs but nods.

"I'm sorry Six. I've been messing you around" he says. I shrug and lean forward, resting against his shoulder. His arm wraps around me. We can enjoy this moment together, brief though it is.

"It's fine. It's hard to come to terms with loving two people" I say, squeezing his hand. He laughs and nods.

"You have no idea" he confirms. We lapse into silence and then we get up to begin to walk back to the hotel. Sarah will start to get suspicious otherwise. I'm just admiring how good John looks, when he gasps and comes to a halt. I look at him alarmed.

"Six! Number Two was killed in England!" he says to me. I look at him confused and gesture for him to continue. What is he getting at?

"Adam said there was a base here; one they used to track her" he says. Understanding begins to dawn on me and I smile.

"You want to go there" I confirm. He nods and smiles wildly.

"We can get information about the mogs from here and destroy more enemies in the process" he says. I grin and high-five him.

"Nice thinking John! Now we just have to find a mog and get it to reveal this base!" I say. John laughs at the necessary optimism in my statement and we continue walking back. We have a purpose now, a mission to fulfil. There _was_ a reason we were sent to England; to find information about Number Two and her death.

We're almost back at the hotel and we let go of each other's hand. Despite pitying Sarah and feeling excitement for our new mission, I can't wait until John and I can finally be together.

Xxx

Nine

I wake up, lying under a thick blanket in a soft bed. I groan and roll over, trying to sleep again but I know it's impossible. Once I wake up, I can never fall back asleep again. It's infuriating.

I think of when we arrived here, three days ago. Five had collapsed in my arms after her injury had been too much and I had desperately called for help at a nearby house. Fortunately, living alone there was a 50-year old Russian woman named Olena. I had showed her Five and immediately she had taken control. She had put Ella in a spare room and then stitched Five up. I had hovered around anxiously, wanting to know if Five was ok. According to Olena she'll be fine; she's just over-exerted and needs a lot of rest.

How do I know this? Olena's English is pretty good.

I stretch and lie on my back, looking up at the ceiling. Ever since I saw Five crying after what Adam said, I've always felt a bit sorry for her and realised there's a lot more to her than she lets on. She's a good person; her dragging Ella and I through Russia with a serious knife wound so we can be safe is evidence of that. I realise with surprise, I actually have fond feelings for her like I have for Marina and Six.

Weird, I never saw that coming. I think they've come on since the battle where she showed some guts.

I sit up and pull on some clean clothes Olena laid out for me. She's been the perfect host; cooking for us, buying and washing our clothes, taking care of Five. I think Olena's lonely and our arrival has filled her with a purpose. I don't want to leave this place at all, but I know as soon as Five is ready, we'll go. I walk slowly downstairs, appreciating the smell of cooking pancakes; once Olena realised we're American, she hasn't stopped cooking them for breakfast. So stereotypical.

Not that i'm complaining of course, it's awesome.

I enter the kitchen and see Ella sitting there with a half-eaten plate already. She's talking to Olena about Russia and I smile to see her enthusiasm. She woke up pretty soon after we arrived here; the teleporting just took a lot out of her which is strange because before she was fine with it. Fortunately, she's ok now and i'm glad that I don't have to worry about her too.

"Good morning" I say. Ella grins at me and Olena smiles kindly.

"Good morning. There is a plate for you and your friend. She's in the sitting room" she says, pointing to two plates of pancakes on the side. Confused, I pick them up and after a quick thank you, I leave the room. It sounds like Five is finally awake.

I enter the sitting room and see Five propped up against a head rest of a sofa, drinking a mug of pure black coffee. She needs better taste in drinks. She looks up at my entrance and smiles.

"Sleeping ugly awakes" I say. She rolls her eyes at my adjustment to the phrase and reaches out for the plate I hand her. I grin to see her back to normal and flop down on the sofa by her feet.

"Nice. I almost died by saving you and you call me ugly" she says. I grin and shrug, taking a bite. I try not to moan from the pleasure of eating delicious food. It's a good thing I train and fight so much otherwise I would be morbidly obese by now.

"Hey, I saved you too" I say. She raises an eyebrow and eats some food. Judging by her look of surprise and her almost immediate next mouthful, she likes the taste. I bet she's also starving; she's been out for three days.

"Good, isn't it?" I ask. She nods, pleased, and we finish eating in silence. Somehow it's not uncomfortable, in fact it feels natural. I never thought I would actually get on really well with her.

A couple of minutes later, she sets her plate down on the floor using telekinesis and stretches her arms out. "Where are we?" she asks.

"This is Olena's house. After you collapsed, I knocked on the first door I could find and this was it. Fortunately, she was willing to help" I explain.

She nods and leans back against the cushions. Her face is drawn and she is weaker than she'd like to be. However, I know we're safe for now and can stay here until she is fully healed. She doesn't need to worry; I'll look after her and Ella. I won't let anything happen to either of them.

"How is your wound?" I ask her. She sighs and shifts, grimacing slightly.

"Sore, but that's to be expected" she says. I nod and watch her drain the rest of her coffee. I find myself admiring her slim figure and pretty looks and I glance away, confused. Why am I thinking like this? We've only just begun to tolerate each other, why am I now admiring her? Granted, she's interesting but still.

I suppress the internal conflict and lean back in the sofa. She smiles at me and I find myself smiling back.

"Thank you for saving me. Twice in one day" she says. I laugh and nod smugly.

"Yep and don't you forget it" I say. She grins and rolls her eyes.

"Just as long as you don't forget that I can read your deepest and darkest secrets without breaking a sweat" she says lightly. I flush at that threat, hoping she hasn't read my thoughts about her. I think she already has though, because she suddenly blushes and drops her eyes as if she realised what she just said.

"Then i'm screwed" I say, trying to lighten the mood. She looks back up and grins, relieved at this change. We both are. I don't want to have to think about these mixed-up feelings for her.

"Oh hey Sophia! You're up!" Ella says, walking into the room. Olena follows and Five makes a move to stand up. I push her back gently and she stops, leaning gratefully into the pillows. I don't want her to slow down her healing process. Olena smiles and holds her hand out.

"You must be Sophia. Stanley and Ella have told me so much" she says. Five doesn't even blink at her 'new' name and smiles back.

"Thank you for saving me" she says and shakes Olena's hand. I smile and see Ella come over to me, whilst Five and Olena talk.

"I'm glad she's awake" she says to me. I nod and smile, relieved too. Ella narrows her eyes slightly and then looks confused.

"What's wrong?" I ask her. She shakes her head and looks at me, amused.

"You like her" she says. I look at her and then laugh, shocked.

"Of course. But as a _friend_" I say, emphasising the last word. Ella rolls her eyes and shakes her head. She walks away and i'm left wondering if I sounded as unconvincing as I thought I did.

Xxx

We've been here a week and Five is completely healed. Olena seemed surprised by that but I think it's just a Loric thing so i'm not too bothered about her fast recovery. In fact, it is pretty useful. I know we have to leave soon, especially since we need to go back to America but I can't bring myself to talk about it with the others. I know they feel the same as they haven't said anything to me.

This past week has been pretty awesome to be honest; one of the best times of my life. After my first weird feelings for Five, we've now developed a steady friendship, although sometimes I do find myself thinking differently about her. Ella and Five have also bonded more, but I know no one will take Marina's place for Ella. In fact, that has been the only issue, Ella's deep longing for Marina to be here. However, by the lack of scars on our ankles, the others seem to be surviving, which i'm so relieved about.

I mean, I can't do _all_ the work. I'll need someone to fight the mog army while I deal with Setrakus.

I'm in the sitting room watching Russian TV with Five. We're laughing at the weirdness of what these people watch. Despite being relaxed, a lifetime of being on the run has made us cautious. Our bags and chests are all packed, ready to be taken at a moment's leave and we're both wearing good survival clothes for Russia: thick sweaters, jeans, and boots. Our coats are nearby, ready for whenever we need them. I realise with a pang we'll be leaving within the next day or so.

"I don't want to leave" I say to Five in a low voice. Olena is in the other room with Ella but I still don't want to run the risk of being overheard. Five nods and sighs sadly.

"I know. When I was on the run I never formed attachments like this. I never wanted this to happen" she says. I nod, not surprised. She seems like the type of person who is hard to make friends.

"We'll need to warn Ella" I say. Out of all of us, Ella has formed the deepest bond with Olena.

Five shakes her head. "She already knows. She's packed her bag too" she says. I nod and sigh, looking away. It's so hard.

There's a small silence between us and i'm about to ask her where we'll go when I hear gunfire and a scream. Five and I are on our feet immediately and we rush to the kitchen. The sound of glass smashing and furniture being destroyed fills the house. We make it to the kitchen and see mogs firing at the house from outside. How did they know where we are?

Ella is huddled on the floor, over Olena. I know at once she's dead because of the bullet wound right in the middle of her forehead. At least she died quickly.

I feel anger bubbling up inside of me at her death. She did so much for us and was killed in return. My hatred for the mogs increases, if that were possible. I feel the familiar rage that comes over me when I go into battle and I don't hold it back. I change at once from chilled out Nine, to the Nine destroys mogs in seconds.

I'm ready to kill.

I grab Ella and drag her out the room, Five following me. Once we're semi-safe, I turn to the two girls. Ella is crying slightly, but Five is determined and eager. A useful ally.

"Grab our stuff" I say to them, my voice hard and low. Five scowls at this order but turns invisible and grabs Ella's hand nonetheless. She knows there will be plenty of mogs to fight even after i'm done.

I turn to the kitchen again, extending my pipe staff.

I wish the mogs luck.

They'll need it.

Xxx

Marina

We've been walking along the Nile for two days, admiring the view and appreciating the shade the trees offer. A very slight breeze sometimes blows on us to cool us down, but most of the time we just have to make do. Water stops are more frequent and growing longer. We're exhausted, especially Eight, who is still recovering from teleporting us all.

Soon we will get to Luxor, according to a local we met along the way. We decided to stick to the Nile; it's a safe source of water and all forms of civilisation exist nearby. I can't wait to get a hotel and a bed; the nights here are very cold, they always are in deserts. I huddle up to the others, but it's not enough for warmth.

We're sitting under a couple of trees, eating some food we were given by the same kind local who told us where to go. It's not a lot, just rice and some meat but it's enough to keep us going. At least we have plenty of water. Eight and I are sitting next to each other but don't make any contact; our tempers are short at the moment and we just want our own space.

"So, we'll get to Luxor this evening and then we can relax. Well, temporarily" Adam says. Out of all of us, he's the only happy one. I smile at him tired and lean back against the tree trunk.

"Sounds good, I can't wait to get some proper food" Eight says. I close my eyes, even though that makes me want to sleep even more.

"I might go for a small swim. To cool off" Adam says. I nod but don't open my eyes. I hear Eight shift next to me and sigh. This is the first time we've been alone in days.

"Are you ok?" he asks, sounding a little annoyed at my behaviour. I don't know why; i'm just resting. But maybe he sees me as being weak. I open my eyes and look at him, glaring slightly. Yeah, we're both very short-tempered right now.

"Of course I am. Can't you see the pure happiness on my face?" I say sarcastically. He glares and looks away.

"I was being nice. No need to get snarky" he mutters.

"Sure you were. And I was simply being honest" I reply. I've really had it with him; we've been constantly annoyed with each other and we need to blow off some steam. It's just this situation that is making us this touchy; we wouldn't be acting like this normally. His jaw locks and he looks at me again.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you being like this?" he snaps. I look at him and stand up.

"Because i'm tired! Because i'm always healing you and Adam because of sunburn that hurts and it wears me out! Becuase i'm hungry and just want to sleep! Because i'm miss Ella and the others!" I shout at him. He stands up too and looks down at me, annoyed. Damn him for being taller than me and looking imposing.

"I miss them too but it doesn't mean i'm being overly sensitive about everything" he says, clenching his fists. I cross my arms and raise an eyebrow.

"So you throwing a hissy fit yesterday because I wanted an extra water break is not being overly sensitive?" I say. He scowls and looks away, pissed off. I shake my head and look away.

"Everything all right here?" Adam asks. He's dripping wet but looks happier than I do. I nod and push past Eight.

"Of course, let's go" I say, ignoring Eight's huff of annoyance.

Xxx

After a couple more hours, we reach Luxor. It's a beautiful but busy city, filled with people and history. I remember reading up about the Valley of the Kings and realise they are located close enough to Luxor. Maybe we could go for a day trip.

I shake my head at that thought as we cross a street and narrowly avoid getting hit by a motorbike. We don't have time to sightsee; we have to meet up with the others. We reach a small hotel, out of the way, and grab two rooms for the three of us. We were smart enough to put money in our chests, like Five advised, in case something happened and now i'm so glad we did that.

We get to our rooms and Adam grabs one key. "I'm going by myself; I want some me time" he says. Before I can argue or protest, he enters his room and locks the door. Some part of me realises he's giving us space to sort things out. Eight and I stand there awkwardly and then I sigh and open the door. We pile in and I almost groan in annoyance. Of course there's one bed.

"I'll sleep on the floor" Eight says quietly. Still a gentleman, even in an argument. I shrug, still slightly annoyed. I need sleep and food and then I can be happier.

"If that's what you want" I say. I flop down onto the bed and close my eyes, falling instantly asleep.

I wake up a few hours later, although it only feels like a few minutes. I smell food and sit up instantly, my stomach grumbling. Eight grins at me as he hands me a wrap filled with meat and sauce. Eagerly, I lean forward and bite into it, not even caring where it came from. I just need food so badly.

After a few minutes of frenzied eating, I feel normal again and I'm able reflect on my recent behaviour with a clearer mind. I've been an idiot and so has Eight. I need to apologise before things get out of hand between us; I couldn't stand it if things went sour.

I finish my food and lean forwards towards Eight, who has also finished. He's sitting on the only other piece of furniture in the room, an uncomfortable-looking chair. There's a small bathroom attached to this room but I don't particularly want to go there just yet. I'm not that desperate.

Eight looks up as I lean across and take his hand. I smile at him hesitantly and he grins back, relieved.

"I'm sorry for being an idiot" I say, looking down. I hear him laugh and i'm glad to know he's back to normal, like me.

"So was I. I blame it on lack of food and sleep" he says. "And yeah, i'm sorry too. Let's just forget about it" he adds. I nod and smile up at him, amazed at how quickly we sorted things out. This is what good food and rest does to you.

He stands up and stretches, his shirt lifting slightly showing a bit of his defined stomach. I find myself admiring him and I flush as I see him smirk, catching me out. He bends down and begins making a blanket bed on the floor. That will not be comfortable. I roll my eyes and stop him from continuing.

"Don't sleep on the floor; share with me. We may not get a chance to sleep on a bed for a while and there's plenty of room" I say. He nods, relieved, and lies down on the bed, weariness on his face. I lie down next to him and sigh, exhausted despite my earlier sleep.

"Where did you get the food?" I ask. He laughs, tired.

"I went out and bought some. Adam came over to watch you, in case of an attack. He's in his room eating right now" he explains. I feel a lump rise in my throat at how he went out to get me food despite being exhausted and angry with me. I must be far nicer to him in the future than I have these past few days.

"What do you think we'll do now?" he asks a couple of minutes later, taking my hand. I frown up at the ceiling.

"I would say going back to America, but i'm not too sure right now. I think I remember there being a ship somewhere in Egypt according to the tablet" I say.

Eight sits up, excited, and grins at me. "You're right! There is a ship here! And I remember Ella telling me where it was hidden!" he says, triumphantly. I look up at him and prop myself up on my elbows.

"Where? And how does Ella know?" I ask, confused. He grins.

"Crayton told her ages ago. And as for the ship, you already know where it's buried, you just don't want to believe it" he says, laughing at me. He's delighted by this turn of events.

I groan and flop back onto the bed, rubbing my face. Of course I know where Crayton would hide it. He loved places like that and the irony wouldn't be lost on him. A buried ship would be the last thing people would want to dig up there.

"The Valley of the Kings" I say.

* * *

I hope I got things mostly accurate for the countries (except for England obviously :D). I'm just going by stereotypes so if anything's wrong please tell me.

So a bit of 4x6 and it is now the beginning of the end for Sarah... i'm sure you're all devastated by that ;)

Hope you enjoyed and please, please, please review! :D


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies

Hi guys!

A massive thank you to all the reviews! As lovely and encouraging as ever and they really help me write these chapters, especially during exam season!

Secondly, I hope that no one reading this was affected by the Boston bombs but if they were, my deepest sympathethies.

**Very Important - Do you guys want me to continue with my story to the end? Because If I do carry on with this it will take me past the Fall of Five release. I understand that many of you won't want to read my story after the release because it will be so different, but if you do want me to finish this, please say so.**

**Also, I'm thinking of another story of one-shots of the Loric when they're on the ship, still fighting on Earth and then settled in Lorien. Just one-shots of fluff and stuff. What do you guys think of that? I won't be able to start until after exams are over but I will definitely do some.**

Finally, please vote in the poll for 'The real number five'. I think it'll be up soon, so check it out! It's over the story for their version of the Fall of Five :D

Anyway, please read on!

* * *

John

Six stands in the pub, ordering a drink confidently. She's wearing a black leather jacket and black jeans. She looks dangerous and mysterious. I can't keep my eyes off her and i'm glad that my role in this mission is to do just that. Keep an eye on her.

We're capturing a mog that we found yesterday. We've been in England a week now and after my epiphany five days ago, we spent the rest of that time searching for a mog. We checked out all the seedy places in London, and there are a lot, and we finally found this one roaming the streets. It's only a citizen not a soldier, therefore it fits right in. It's young, around 20, and looks like a normal human, just a pale one.

Sarah is back in the van that we stole, waiting to drive us away once we have the mog. Our plan is simple and effective; Six will lure the mog out using her 'charm' and then I attack and knock it out. Six was pissed off that she has to attempt to flirt with it but I just rolled my eyes and gave her the role. I was so right; no one can resist her when she looks that gorgeous.

The mog stands next to her and it's obvious he likes the look of her. He also has no idea that she's Loric; probably assumes we're all in America. If only he knew. He talks to her quietly and I clench my fists under the table as she laughs enticingly. I can't believe i'm jealous of a mog!

Six slowly stands up and whispers something in the mog's ear. I know she'll be cringing inside at having to do this but she's doing it for the greater good. The mog smiles slowly as she saunters out, heading towards the back exit of the pub. Soon after, he gets up and follows.

No one in the pub notices anything; most people are here to get wasted. Once the mog is gone, I stand up and head also for the exit. I look around before I go but no one seems to realise what is happening. Good.

I enter the corridor silently and see the mog slip out of the last door. Six will be waiting to ambush him. I quickly follow and pull out the Xitharis, just managing to slip through the door. I'm invisible and it would look strange for the door to randomly open and close all by itself.

I look around and see Six with the mog. She's entirely capable of taking the mog on by herself but she wants this to be a quiet and simple affair. I walk up silently and then crash my elbow into the base of the mog's neck. He falls down and before he can scream, Six is on him, her hand pressed against his mouth. He can't breathe and soon falls unconscious from lack of air.

I become visible and hand the Xitharis back to her. We grin at each other triumphantly and then I hoist the limp mog into my arms. I feel sorry for him but I know he wouldn't feel any pity about doing the same to us. Six takes my hand and we both become invisible.

We creep out onto the street and wait for Sarah to arrive. I had texted her in the pub before following the mog outside. She should be here in five minutes.

"I'm sorry you had to flirt with it" I whisper to Six. She laughs quietly and my breath catches. I'm so in love with her.

"It's ok, it had to be done" she replies. I grin and then breathe a sigh of relief when Sarah's van comes around the corner. Fortunately the street is empty, so we turn visible and Sarah comes to a stop next to us. I slide open the door and we hop inside, throwing the mog to the floor.

"Right, just get out of London" Six commands. Sarah nods and we pull away.

Xxx

We're in the middle of nowhere, in a van with a captive mog. Not sure I ever saw this one coming. We tied the mog to a chair in the back of the van and now we are debating on ways to get information. Neither Six nor I want to resort to torture but if we have to, we will.

My chest and our supplies are sitting on some car seats in front of us. Sarah is watching us, sitting on the floor with her knees drawn to her chin. The mog is struggling uselessly against his bonds but he's not as strong as us. He can't break them.

Six sighs and walks over, bending over a little from the ceiling.

"Tell us where the base is" she says, pulling out a knife. She won't use it just yet but the threat is effective enough. The mog gulps but doesn't say anything. He's figured out who we are by now but hasn't threatened us with the usual '_you'll be sorry'_ or '_just you wait'._ He knows he won't scare us.

He shakes his head and I groan. I wish Nine were here; he's have no qualms about beating the hell out of this mog. In fact, anyone would be better use than me. I just don't like having to hurt a defenceless person, even if it is a mog. It feels wrong to attack someone who can't fight back.

And I don't have mind control so I can't just compel the mog to give me the information.

"Ok, look. Just tell us where it is and you'll die quickly. If not..." Six trails off. The mogs closes his eyes and I hear his breathing quicken with fear. Pity briefly touches me and I bend over him.

"Tell us. We don't want to hurt you, we're not sadistic" I say.

He looks at me and then spits in my face. Shocked, I lean back and wipe my cheek. Six lunges forward and smacks the mog in the face, furious. There's a cracking noise and the mog howls as blood pours from his broken nose. He begins to cry but I did warn him. I warned him against Six. And the mogs did this to Marina and Eight in Pennsylvania, so they deserve whatever they get.

"Ok, ok. It's in the midlands, close to Birmingham" he says, full sobbing now. "It's not such a big base now; they're all in America. The only good thing it holds is _her"_ he says desperately.

I look at Six, interested. Who is '_her'_? Six leans forward and asks him that question. The mogs shakes his head.

"I won't tell you. I can't. Setrakus controls our minds so we can't say anything about it" he says, crying. I'm concerned that Setrakus has such power but I shake that off for another day. I need to focus on the task at hand. Six looks at him in disgust and shakes her head. She then looks at me.

"We've got everything we need" she turns back to the mog. "You're pathetic, you know that? You crumble after one punch; Setrakus would be ashamed to be the same race as you" she hisses in his face. The mog looks humiliated at her words. With a quick movement, Six lunges forward and stabs the mog with the dagger. It turns to dust immediately.

Sarah whimpers slightly in the corner but I pretend I don't hear; I have bigger things to worry about. I squash the thought of how i'm a terrible boyfriend; it won't help right now. Six turns to me, slightly embarrassed.

"Sorry I lost it. They just make me so angry" she says. I nod and smile at her, reassuringly. She grins back and then stretches. I admire how beautiful she is but instead of looking away like I would have done before, I meet her eyes and smile. She blushes slightly at my intense gaze. Sarah is completely forgotten in this moment and yet I don't even care that much.

"Looks like we're going to Birmingham" I say.

Xxx

Ella

Five drags me upstairs to where our bags are. I'm shaking from fear and sadness from Olena's death but I manage to keep up with her. I want to be stronger, more resilient than a small little girl who needs defending. We get to our room and Five pulls on her coat and rucksack. I do the same, relieved I don't have to carry a chest around with me. Although they are the Garde's inheritance, they're heavy and not easy to carry.

I'm worried for Nine although we can hear him whooping and laughing outside. Just like New Mexico. Only he would find this situation mildly amusing. Five rolls her eyes but I think she's secretly pleased that he's eager to fight, just like her. She turns to me and smiles grimly.

"Here, take this. You can use it until we get you a better weapon" she says, handing me a small dagger. It's not one of those that she keeps on her belt so I assume it was one she got on Earth. It looks useful and pretty sharp so I thank her and grip it in my hand.

She grabs Nine's stuff and we both run downstairs when a powerful blast knocks into the house, blowing it up. The wall by the stairs explodes and Five and I are thrown off our feet. I cry out in pain as my shoulder is jarred when I land some distance away. I'm in the remains of the lounge and I feel horrified to see what has remained of Olena's wonderful home. I just hope the rest of the neighbourhood is left intact.

I stand up and call Five's name. I can't see her anywhere but I know she's not dead. I would feel it on my leg.

Something slams into me and I fall down again. A mog soldier stands over me, laughing at my weakness. This annoys me and I jump up, tackling him. I may be young and small but i'm still Loric which means i'm strong enough to take on a mog. We fall to the ground and roll over in a tackle. He lands a couple of good punches but I manage to jab him in the eye with my elbow. He howls and leans back, clutching his eye. Before he can react, I lunge forward and stab him in the heart with my dagger. He turns to dust.

"Nice job"

I look up and see Five offering me a hand. She's covered in dust from the house being blown apart and probably from killing some mogs. She smiles at me, proud, and I grin as she pulls me up. I'm pleased by my kill and proving that I am valuable.

I'm not a little girl anymore.

Looking around, I see the house has been reduced to rubble. Nine is out at the front, destroying mogs as easily as though they're paper. More mogs aim cannons at us but Five just throws them away with small flick of her wrist. I wish I could be more like her; more confident, more deadly. I shake my head at that thought; i'm Ella, number 10, and I should be proud of that. I shouldn't wish to be like someone else.

"Come on, we need to go" Five says. I nod and follow her as she makes her way towards a stray car. It will take some time for her to hotwire one; apparently she's not that good at it. Fortunately, Nine seems happy enough to cause a distraction. We pick our way amongst the rubble, tripping at times until we get out of the worst of it.

Nine comes bounding up to us, grinning and laughing. His staff is in his hand, covered in ash and blood like himself.

"Isn't this great?!" he says. He turns around and unleashes bullets onto oncoming mogs from the gun in his hand. They explode into ash before they can retaliate.

"It's just wonderful, the highlight of my day" Five mutters dryly. I giggle, despite the situation, and she grins at me. Maybe she's not as intimidating as she seems.

"Very funny. Anyway there are only 20 or so mogs left, give or take. You deal with the car, I'll deal with the mogs" he says. Five nods and we separate. We rush over to the car and Five immediately pops open the hood and begins her work. I open the car and throw our stuff inside.

Nine is still having loads of fun slicing through mogs, when one sneaks up behind him and shoots a stream of bullets at him. I know without a doubt that he'll die immediately on impact. I cry out and throw my hands out as Nine turns, his face a look of horror as he realises he's going to die.

Something in my mind snaps and the bullets stop and fall to the ground. Energy is sapped from my body and I fall to my knees, weakened. Nine and I stare at each other, stunned, and then he quickly shoots the mog who threatened him. He turns and continues the killing.

"What just happened?" I look up from staring at my hands in confusion. Five looks at me intently and I blush.

"I don't know" I whisper. She nods and turns back to the car.

"I think you just developed telekinesis" she says, smiling. I lean back against the car, amazed. Finally. I've been waiting for ages since I developed telepathy but nothing happened. I was beginning to give up hope.

I realise that everything has gone quiet and then I see Nine race to us. He's less serious now and hugs me when he comes to a stop. Surprised, I hug him back.

"Wow, great timing for your legacy to appear!" he says, laughing. I smile and lay my head against his chest. He's like a big brother to me and i'm so glad he's ok. Without Marina here, I've been relying on Nine a bit more than usual.

The car behind us suddenly starts and Five appears, grinning.

"Ok, now you've hugged it out, can we go?" she says. Nine smiles and climbs into the driving seat. Five doesn't even complain and instead slides into the passenger seat. I get into the back of the car and we drive off.

I think of Olena, left in that house all alone as her grave and a tear slips down my cheek, my good mood evaporating. It's not fair, none of this is fair. We're just kids, we shouldn't have to kill other beings to survive.

"Life isn't fair" I hear Five say to me sadly.

I nod and look out of the window, ignoring the view. I know that we're lucky to have survived this long and I should be grateful to be alive but I can't help but wish that the mogs would give up on us and we could just live in peace on Earth. But I know the others would never give up fighting; that i'm sure about.

I sigh and lean back into the seat, shutting my eyes. I think of Crayton, my papa, and how he was always there for me. He loved me and constantly looked after me. I miss him more and more every day and I wish I could have a couple more hours with him, to tell him how much I appreciate everything, how much I love him.

I fall asleep, the tears falling down my face as I dream of my papa.

Xxx

Adam

I'm sure Egypt is a lovely place normally but right now, I hate it. I hate the heat, the humidity and the constant sunburn I am receiving because of my fair mog skin. Thankfully, Marina can heal that but still; it's painful at the time.

We're trekking to the Valley of the Kings where apparently there is a Loric ship nearby. Not right in the Valley but near enough that it can be located by those looking for it. It's night time; we decided it would be better to go then. I'm not really sure what we're looking for when we find the ship, but we might as well go whilst we're here in Egypt and have the chance.

I stop at the top of one hill and Marina smiles at me. We're both wearing jeans and a thin jumper, despite the heat we need to cover our skin. Her hair is pulled back in a pony tail and a scarf is lying on her shoulders. She's required to wear it in certain places because she's a woman, so she just keeps it on her at all times as it's easier. She jokes that it's not that much different from the headwear she had to put on at the orphanage.

"God, I hate this heat" I moan. Eight teleports next to us and laughs, setting both the chests down. We took them to be on the safe side. We've been resting in Luxor for a couple of days and have been in Egypt about a week. Our moods have all improved dramatically and we all get on a lot better after a rest. However, we knew we needed to make a move eventually and this was the best time.

"I'm used to it from India" he says smugly. Marina rolls her eyes but doesn't say anything. I just glare at him.

"Ok so where is this ship? We've been hiking for _ages_ and we still haven't got there yet. The sun will be coming out soon" I say. Eight grins and gestures down the hill.

"Down there. Want a hand?" he says, offering his. Marina and I take it and suddenly we're at the bottom of the hill, chests by our feet. He teleported us there.

"It would have made the whole thing a lot easier if you just teleported us all here at once" I mutter. The heat's putting me in a bad mood. Marina smiles at me gently.

"I know but we didn't know where to go to. We could have ended up in the middle of the desert again" she says. I sigh and nod, looking around.

There's nothing but sand and rocks around but it's still beautiful. I wonder what Marina must see because she has night vision. It must be extra lovely to her. That would be a useful legacy; to see all the time, no matter the light level. No one could sneak up on you in the dark.

"Ok, we're looking for a couple of rocks in a Loric symbol. That's what Ella said to look for" Eight says. I sigh again but nod. It's not much to go on seeing as i'm not an expert on Loric symbols but then neither are Marina or Eight.

We search for a couple of minutes until Marina calls out our names. I walk over quickly and look at the formation. It's not obvious that it's Loric but to Eight and Marina it means something as they exchange smiles.

"Awesome, now-" Eight begins but then there's a gunshot and the dune behind Marina explodes. Sand and rock rain down on us and I shield my face. Eight grabs us both immediately and we're teleported away; but only a short distance.

"Mogs!" Marina says, fear in her voice. I'm also equally frightened; how did they find us?

"Damn it!" Eight mutters. I look at him confused and see him scowling. "They must have planted trackers on our chests when they left them lying around for us to collect in New Hampshire, remember?!" he says. Marina nods, also frowning, and I swear.

"How many are there?" I ask. Marina concentrates for a moment and then smiles, a little bit relieved. We must have faced worse before if she looks happier.

"Only 30" she replies. We can deal with that. I look out from behind the rock we've crouched behind but I can't see anything. I send out a seismic wave but it only kills a couple of mogs judging by the screams. Even though there aren't that many, the problem is I have no idea where the mogs are. I look at Marina.

"You'll have to fight; you're the only one who can see in this light!" I shout. She nods determined but I see Eight's face tighten with fear.

"No! She can't go alone!" he says.

Marina opens her mouth to protest, when we're all knocked over by a blast of green fire creating an explosion by our feet. I fly in the air and then land some distance away, groaning. I spit out sand and blood and see Marina lifeless next to me, a horrendous burn on her arm and blood trickling down her face. The mogs must have aimed at her, realising she's the one with the advantageous legacy. They must have been listening in to our conversation somehow.

I crawl over and try to wake her up when a mog lunges out of the darkness. He's wearing night vision goggles which makes it easy for him to see us. I won't let him touch Marina and I throw myself at him. I land a solid punch on him and he falls to the ground. Before I can do anything, Eight appears and stabs the mog with a sword and it turns to dust immediately. He bends over Marina concerned and I join him. She moans slightly as her eyes begin to flutter open. Eight smiles relieved when another mog lunges for us. Eight uses telekinesis to throw the mog into the next valley.

"Go fight them, I'll look after Marina" I say. I grab the night-vision goggles and he straps them on, determined. He still looks conflicted but I push him slightly and he teleports away. I hear mogs scream in pain and panic soon after and I know he's doing a lot of damage out there.

I lean over Marina and assess the damage. She's awake but the green energy hit her directly; Eight and I only received a small amount. Her head is cut from a rock and her right arm is burnt from the fire. However, she's not been injured fatally and she'll be all right. I lift her up in my arms and she protests slightly but I just ignore her.

I make my way over to the chests when something slams into me. Marina and I go rolling over the sand. It's a mog and I jump up immediately. I know Eight can't help us now; he's too busy with other mogs. I grab the mog in a headlock and I feel it try and land blows on me but it's not as strong as me. All my training has paid off. I quickly snap the mog's neck and then pick up its' fallen gun as ash bursts around me.

I pick up my gun and stand in front of Marina, defending her. She's started to sit up but she's still weak. Most of the mogs go for Eight but I manage to shoot a couple who get too close to us. I've shot about five when there's a sudden silence and then Eight teleports next to me. He's holding a mog in his arms, its' arms twisted behind it's back. It's grimacing in pain.

"He said something about Kenya to another mog" Eight says. Understanding fills my brain and I nod.

"Number Three was killed there" I say. I see the mog grimace and glare at me. "There must be a base there" I conclude. The mog hisses at me.

"Traitor. You scum. You-" it says. Eight punches it in the face and it goes down, moaning as it clutches it's nose. He jerks the mog up and holds it close to his face, threatening it. I've never been scared of Eight before but now I am.

"Is there a base in Kenya? Is there anything there?" he says, his voice low and dangerous.

Marina stands up unsteadily and lays her arm on Eight. "There _is_ a base there but I can't tell from his mind if there's anything useful there" she says.

Eight nods; that's all he needs. He snaps the mog's neck quickly and it turns to ash. He sighs and sits down. Marina and I do the same, needing a bit of peace. Marina begins to heal herself and I see Eight wrap a secure arm around her. She leans into him and I smile slightly.

"Do you think we should go there?" Marina asks me. I frown and look away.

"I don't know. When I went, there wasn't a base I was aware of but they might have hidden that from me. If there is one, then they could have Three's chest and all sorts of stuff they stole from his house" I say.

Eight shrugs. "I say we go for it. I can try to teleport there; it'll be easier with just you two. Besides, we have nothing else to do"

I nod at the sense he's talking. Marina looks torn but then nods.

"I think we were split up for a reason and I think we were meant to find out about Kenya" she says.

"But what about the ship?" I ask. Eight sighs.

"I think it's already gone. I thought it might still be here but after we were attacked, I just realised that it's not here. They'll have moved it after our battle at Dulce. It'll be with the other ship now, in New Mexico" he says. I nod and look away.

"We'll need to check the tablet to be sure. But are you sure you can get us to Kenya? I thought you couldn't teleport far" I ask him, concerned about what could happen.

"Lorien helped me last time... hopefully, it'll help me again" He says confidently and holds his hands out. Marina and I grab a chest and then one of his hands. She looks worried but determined.

"I hope you're right" I say and then everything disappears.

* * *

So, I hope you enjoyed!

By the way, I haven't read the first lost files book about Adam so I'm just going to pretend there's a base in Kenya :D

Please review!


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies.

Hi guys!

Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews! They are nice as ever and help me write this story; especially at the moment when I have so many exams :(

Secondly, this chapter is dedicated to Zack619 who helped me read the Lost files book online :)

**Thirdly, I will definitely continue with this story now and i'm really pleased you guys will want to read this even after Fall of Five is out :D I will also begin the one-shot story though later in May when exams are over.**

**For the one-shot story, I would love some ideas. If you guys have an idea with a certain couple or group of friends, please PM or review. For example, a beach trip about Five and Nine. The one-shots will be fluff because this story deals with the more serious side. I need as much inspiration as I can get so I will take all the ideas and use them as best as I can. I don't mind if you give me a couple of words or a huge load of information; any ideas are welcome :)**

So, please read on and I hope you enjoy...

P.S there's a Nine and Five moment in here because I neglected them last chapter :)

* * *

Sarah

We've been driving through England for only a couple of hours; America is so much bigger than here, it's crazy. I'm sat in the back whilst Six and John are in the front. I watch them chat together naturally and I feel envy and jealousy race through me. I love him but I know he loves her more. Our time together has almost come to an end and I don't know what to do about it.

I look out of the window and long for Ohio. I would be at college right now, learning in lessons and gossiping with my friends about guys. I could date another football player and forget about John, despite my love for him. I would move on with my life.

But then the US government had to tap my phone and pretend to be Emily texting. If only I'd known that they were tracking me to get to John. How could I have been so stupid?!

I think of my family and grief floods through me. My two older brothers who had so much going for them: a career, girlfriends... The mogs killed them without a thought, not even caring about me betraying the others for my family's safety. I _hate _them. I hope John and the others' succeed in this war and make the mogs pay for what they've done.

"What are you thinking about?" I turn and look at Six. She's the one who asked me and I see concern on her face. I realise that I've been crying quietly. John looks torn; I know he wants to comfort me but he doesn't want to hurt Six by doing so.

"My family" I say. Six nods slowly and looks back at the road. We're driving down the motorway towards Birmingham and are only an hour away. I'm too sad and lonely to feel scared anymore.

"What were they like?" she asks. I guess for someone who's never known a family she's curious. I sigh and try not to cry more than possible.

"Dysfunctional, annoying, loud, funny, kind, they knew me more than anyone else... they were my family and I wouldn't change them for anything" I say. Six nods and looks away. I sigh and close my eyes, trying to block everything out. Before I know it, I fall asleep.

_"Oh hey, Sarah! How was your weekend?" Stacey asks me. I smile at her and lower my camera._

_"Just did homework and took some pictures. What about you?" I reply. She smiles at me and her friends join in the pleasant conversation. I love my new status as the nice, approachable girl; not the bitch I was before as Mark's girlfriend._

_"Same really. Have you heard there's a new kid?" she asks conspiratorially. I laugh and lean closer._

_"Yeah, my mum wouldn't shut up about him; she sold the house to his dad. I was told to go and meet him" I answer. Stacey smiles and then looks at something over my shoulder. She whistles and nods at something._

_"Looks like he's just turned up" she says. I smile and shrug, taking a couple of pictures._

_"I'll say hello in a minute; I just need to talk to Emily" I say. She smiles and turns to her friends. I move around easily between social groups, pleased that I finally decided to end things with Mark. My life is so much better now._

_I turn and look at the new guy. Immediately, i'm taken about by how good looking he is. He's about 16 with blonde hair and blue eyes. I automatically go over and introduce myself, finding it cute how tense he is. He'll soon get used to it here._

_"Hi i'm Sarah" I say. He smiles at me nervously and extends his hand._

_"I'm John" I take his hand and his deep blue eyes light up._

I wake up and look around disorientated. The car is empty; we're at a service station and I see John and Six inside. Probably buying coffee.

I'm emotional after the memory of meeting John. Everything had been perfect then; I would do anything to go back in time. There's no denying my love for John but I've given up so much for him and now he loves Six more than me. It's not fair.

I step out of the car and am about to approach the shop, when I grabbed and thrown against the car. I scream automatically and I feel a gun pressed against my throat. I hear John and Six shout out as they run out of the service station. I'm frozen as i'm turned around to face John. He's pale but determined to save me.

"Don't move! Put your hands in the air!" someone shouts. I realise we must have been found by the police. I see a few more officers around but not enough to cause a serious threat to John and Six.

Six rolls her eyes. "Which one do you want? We can't do both" she retorts. I feel the grip tighten and colour leaves my face. John senses my fear and his eyes narrow.

"She's got nothing to do with this. Let her go" he pleads. He still loves me, despite everything. I smile at him and he lights up a bit. Just a small bit but it's there.

"I said put your hands in the air!" shouts the same officer. John sighs sadly.

"We warned you" he says. Suddenly, the gun is released from my throat and I stumble back. I see another officer lunge for me, but John is swiftly next to me and punches the guy right in the face. The man falls back down, unconscious from John's vicious hit.

Six has quickly defeated the other guys with telekinesis and a few choice punches. I didn't have to do anything but get in the way again. John pulls me towards him and holds me; the first true show of love in days. He strokes my hair and whispers nonsense in my ear as i'm still scared from the attack. I feel myself relaxing and I lean into him, enjoying his embrace. Six hovers nearby, protecting us.

"Guys, we need to go" she says, an edge in her voice. I guess she doesn't like seeing John comforting me. I nod and pull back reluctantly. John smiles at me and gives me a small kiss on the lips. I smile back at him and he lights up.

"Six's right, we need to leave" John says, taking a hold of my hand. We are about to get in the car when Six gasps.

"I know how they found us! They must have planted a tracking device on your chest John!" she says. John pales and runs to his chest, which is in the back. Sure enough, after a couple of minutes of searching, a tracking device is found. I watch as Six hides it under someone else's car and returns grinning.

"Ok, _now_ we can go" she says. I nod and get into the back, whilst Six and John go to the front.

The countryside blurs by as we continue to our destination. I watch the two of them converse easily once more and I feel a pang of absolute loneliness. John's my only point of existence; once he's gone, what do I do then?

I wish now more than ever I could be the Sarah I used to be and just go home.

Xxx

Five

"I swear to God, if you switch that radio to a country station one more time..." I hiss at Nine. He grins but pulls his hand away from the radio. He's discovered I have a passion for hating country so of course, he's taking advantage of it.

"No need to get angry" he chides, chuckling slightly.

We've been in this car two hours and I already want to throw myself out into the road. Nine is just that irritating. I know we're friends now but our feelings towards annoying the other haven't changed one bit. It's still entertaining to wind him up and he thinks the same about me.

"Really guys? Do you have to?" Ella asks from the back. She's been quiet ever since we left the house, despite her amazing new legacy. I think Olena's death affected her pretty badly and I feel sorry for her. She's only 12 after all.

"Sorry" Nine says, his face turning serious. He's concerned about Ella too but knows she doesn't want to talk about it just now. Soon, but not right now. She settles down in the back, wanting to fall asleep and forget everything. Poor kid.

There's a silence for a while in the car and I watch the countryside outside the window flash by. Nine's driving as fast as he can, seeing as there's no one around to monitor him. The road is pretty empty but whenever a car approaches, I tell him to slow down. It's not worth the risk of being caught again.

After half an hour of silence, Nine clears his throat and I look at him, wondering what he's going to say. He looks a bit uncertain but then steels himself.

"So, what happened to your Cepan?" he asks. Usually, my walls would slam down at a question like that but with him, I feel ok to talk about it. I'm a bit freaked out by this feeling of complete trust with him but I ignore that part. I'll deal with it later.

"She died when I was 10" I say. I know it annoys him for me to repeat what I basically said earlier in New Hampshire but I can't resist the temptation to piss him off.

"I know that" he says exasperated. I hide a grin. "But how?"

I turn serious and look out the window again. The pain of her death comes back to haunt me and I clench my fists. He looks at me concerned but doesn't push me.

"It was my fault. When we were in Rio, i-i" I stumble a bit and break off. I feel guilt and grief all over again. Why am I telling him this?

He leans across and takes my hand, whilst the other remains on the wheel. I look at him shocked and he smiles kindly at me.

"Go on" he says quietly. I swallow, embarrassed at my small sign of weakness and I take a deep breath.

"There had been mogs around and I hadn't been cautious. At 10, I was just proud to be badass" I see him smile at that and I feel slightly better.

"I killed a couple of mogs and then they became suspicious. They sent out a mini-army to capture us but they only got Christina. I managed to escape. A week later, I could open my chest on my own" I finish abruptly. Despite telling him my story, I don't want to go into details. It's too painful otherwise.

He looks thoughtful as he looks out the window and then he squeezes my hand. I realise with a shock i'm enjoying holding his hand, it's comforting. What is going on with me? Since when do I have feelings like this?

"I'm sorry" he says. He doesn't say that it wasn't my fault for which i'm grateful. He knows as well as I do that it was my fault, that I shouldn't have left her. I'm glad that someone finally doesn't make excuses for me and lets me except the blame. It's a relief to be honest.

I look at him and smile gratefully. He smiles back and I feel butterflies in my stomach. What the hell? I try to ignore these feelings and focus on the conversation instead.

"And you? What happened to your Cepan?" I ask. His face closes off but I know he'll tell me; I told him my story.

"There was this girl, Maddy" he begins. I laugh slightly and he grins, despite his confusion. I think he just appreciates a bit of lightness in this dark mood.

"What's funny?" he asks. I shrug.

"It's just so stereotypical that the problem was because of a girl" I explain. He grins at that and shrugs.

"I suppose, but it's the truth. Anyway, I was getting restless in our safe house so Sandor told me to go out, get some social interaction in before I became a full-time soldier" he says.

His gaze is distant like he's not really here and I keep a sharper eye out on the road. He shakes himself slightly and concentrates on driving again. He must have been submerged in memories about his Cepan; they tend to make you forget everything else.

"So I went to this gym in Chicago where they had this awesome climbing wall. Maddy was there and I wanted to shows off but it went wrong" I laugh at the image of him falling.

"Won't happen now" I say, meaning his anti-gravity legacy. He nods; relieved i'm making his story easier to tell. He finds it harder to deal with deep emotion whereas i'm a pro at that. Mind control helps you learn to block things out.

"I met up with Maddy and eventually fell in love with her" his voice breaks slightly and this time I squeeze his hand. His face works and then he pulls in under control.

"Anyway, long story short, she betrayed me and I was captured by mogs. She was killed but I couldn't do anything, only watch. Sandor went looking for me and then he was captured as well. They tortured him for information in front of me" he says. His breathing is unsteady and I use telekinesis to keep the wheel under control. Safety first.

"I never said anything, never told them a thing but they kept on hurting him. They even hummed when they did it!" he says.

He's pretty emotional now and I pull the car over with telekinesis. Fortunately, Ella's not awake to see this little breakdown; I don't want to embarrass Nine more. Tears stream down his face and when the car stops, he jumps out, his movements' jerky with suppressed emotion. I follow him to make sure he doesn't do something stupid. This is what happens when you hide your emotions too long; they overwhelm you when you finally tell someone.

"I killed him. I couldn't do anything else but kill him. He gave me everything but all he got in return was death" he says. He kicks a shrub on the ground. I take his hand, feeling deep sympathy for him. He was so strong to never say a word and I completely respect him for that. No matter how big of a jerk he can be at times, he's had it bad this past year and a half.

"It wasn't your fault" I plead with him. He snorts and looks away. I try again.

"Trust me, I hate it when people try and excuse me but i'm telling the truth" he looks at me, listening. I continue with more steam now I know he's paying attention. "There was nothing you could do. Hell, not saying a word and killing him was an incredible show of bravery! I just ran away" I say.

He looks so sad and upset that I wrap my arms around him in a hug. He stiffens in shock at first but then very slowly, rests his arms on my lower back. I lean my head on his chest and am disturbed to find i'm finding this hug relaxing. Enjoyable even. He rests his cheek on top of my head and I feel him calm slightly. I close my eyes, immersed in the moment. Immersed in him.

"Thanks Five... and you're not a coward. I know you think you are because you left her but you're not. If they caught you, they would have tortured Christina. You gave her a quick death" he says.

"You think that?" I ask, my voice small. He nods.

"I know that" he replies.

We continue to stand there hugging for a moment more until he pulls back and smiles sadly at me. Despite my reassurance, re-opened memories still hurt. We go back to the car and he begins to drive again, much calmer. Meanwhile, i'm in turmoil. What is wrong with me? I've enjoyed these private moments with Nine, enjoyed seeing that he's a lot more complex than people think. I like this side of him, the sensitive one.

I can't bear the silence and my thoughts so I switch on the radio. The only clear station is country and I see Nine smirk at my face. However, anything is better than the terrifying truth that my mind is trying to hide from me.

We continue to travel through Russia, my mind tormented by thoughts of Nine.

Xxx

Eight

I feel like hell. Every time I teleport with a group, I feel worse and worse. It doesn't make that Lorien's helping me travel this far, it still makes me feel like hell. This time, though, it's like every single trip has decided to haunt me and I curl up in a ball, moaning slightly for the sheer pain I feel.

I think we did make it to Kenya because we landed in a jungle but right now, I really don't care. I'm never teleporting with other people for a long distance again. It's not worth it when you feel like this. My head is pounding, my stomach heaving and my muscles are cramping, sending shooting pains throughout my body.

I feel drops of water falling on my face and I open my eyes to see Adam trying to pour water in my mouth so I can drink. He's not doing so well but at least he's trying. The light blinds my eyes and causes a wrenching pain to shoot through my skull so I quickly close them.

"Here let me" I hear Marina say. My heart lifts to hear her voice and know that she's ok. I need her now more than ever before and i'm glad she's not suffering like me. She gently strokes my face and helps me drink some water. I begin to feel better and can at least open my eyes this time; though only to see Marina. There's nothing else worth seeing to be honest.

She smiles sweetly at me and pushes me back down when I try to sit up. "You need to rest, Eight. We have enough time to stay here until you recover" she says gently. I nod and collapse back. She pushes a jumper under my head for a pillow but I ignore it and lay my head on her lap instead. She smiles and then settles back against a tree trunk.

"Where's Adam?" I ask weakly, noticing his sudden absence. She smiles again and begins to play with my hair. It's relaxing and makes me feel peaceful. I close my eyes, resting in the knowledge that Marina will protect me while I rest.

"Getting some more water. There's a stream not far off" she says. "Now sleep. You need to have strength for us to get to the base" she says. I nod and close my eyes, realising just how tired I am.

I drift off pretty quickly.

Xxx

When I wake up, the sun has gone and the jungle is dark. It's still alive with sound and it's wonderful to listen to. It sort of reminds me of India. I feel so much better now and I sit up, leaning against the tree. Marina smiles when she sees me awake, but I notice the look of weariness in her eyes. I shake my head at her, pretending to be disappointed. She smiles back at me, amused.

"Now_ you_ need to sleep" I say. She sighs and shrugs, lying down. She rests her head in my lap like I did to her. This time it's me stroking her hair as she falls asleep quickly. I admire her delicate features that make her so beautiful and her wonderful thick hair that i'm a bit obsessed with. How did I manage to get a girl like her?

It's funny; romance was never an issue for me as I trained in India. What was important was to beat the mogs and then return to Lorien. The thought of a girlfriend had never passed through my mind, especially when Lola had betrayed Reynolds. I had vowed to never love anyone as that would eventually lead to pain.

When I had seen Six, Marina, Crayton and Ella coming for me, I had never been interested in a potential love interest. Yes, I had thought that Six and Marina were pretty but they were just members of the Garde; allies in this war. Later, I had been impressed when they had defeated the soldiers and managed to reach me. When I had challenged all three of them, they had all beaten me and again I had been impressed. I had believed we had strong allies in this war and we had a chance to win.

However, it was when Marina had found my chest that things began to change for me. I had liked her already; she reminded me of Devdan and she was a constant calm presence. It had been relaxing to have someone like her after all my years of being alone; Six was such a vibrant personality, I'd had a hard time getting used to her at first. When Marina emerged with my chest, I had automatically kissed her, as a friendly gesture.

But, afterwards, I couldn't stop thinking about her and that small kiss. I hadn't known what it meant to her and whether I was just over thinking things when I thought she might have a crush on me in return. When she saved my life in India, she rose in my esteem, which was already pretty high, and I knew I'd do anything to pay back the debt. And then again in New Mexico, after she saved me once more and then kissed me, I should have kissed her at the end of the fight. I know we're ok now, but I should have done it then. It would have saved me hours of worrying and endless confusion.

She sighs next to me in her sleep as if she knows i'm thinking about her and I smile down at her. I was wrong about love making you weak; it makes you stronger. I would do anything for her and I know she would do the same.

I'm glad Five's not here; she would call me out on my mushy thoughts.

And then Nine would never let me forget it.

Adam and Marina sleep for a couple more hours until the sun begins to appear. By now, I feel fine and am eager to begin the hike to find the base. It may be pointless but something tells me we have to do this. There's something important going on; something we need to find.

I slowly shake Marina and Adam awake, amused by their sleepy protests. We all need a holiday with loads of sleep but that won't happen for a while.

"Nice sleep?" I ask Marina as she pulls on her backpack. She smiles at me and stretches out her arms.

"It was lovely" she replies. Adam comes up to us, chewing a bit of meat. He offers me some and I take a bit. It's gristly and tough but will fill me with energy. We'll need that today if there are lots of mogs at the base.

We begin our walk to where Adam said he thought the base might be. I hope he's right; I don't want to waste any time getting lost. As we walk, I compare this hike to the ones I had in India, by myself. India had been a place of freedom but also a cage for me. I had the chance to train in the mountains where no one could see me; I could run, swim, use my legacies and I wouldn't be found out.

However, despite the freedom it was a prison for me; I couldn't leave there for fear of the unknown. Without my chest, I had no idea where the others were and I had no weapons to use against the mogs. I had only to hope the others would come and find me.

I feel a fierce longing for India suddenly. It was the place where I developed my first legacy and where Reynolds was at his happiest. I think of the times we spent together and I feel a lump in my throat. I'll never forgive myself for not going to his rescue when Lola betrayed us. I never had a chance to apologise for being angry with him about Lola and I wish I could go back and tell him how much I loved him. How much he meant to me.

I feel a touch against my hand and see Marina smile sadly at me. I forgot that she can read minds now. She says she rarely reads our minds; she says she respects our privacy. But my feelings must be overwhelmingly loud for her to read my thoughts now.

"It's not your fault; that's hindsight talking" she says. I nod and look away, knowing she's right but still unable to forgive myself. It's a terrible feeling guilt.

"I know, but... it's hard, that's all" I say. She nods sadly and takes my hand. Despite everything, I wouldn't change being with her. I would never change that.

"We're the last Loric alive and we're forced to defend ourselves against a planet of enemies. Of course it's hard" she says, sighing. I squeeze her hand, glad I have her. That's the one positive in all this mess; I have her.

We continue walking towards the unknown.

* * *

So, I hope you enjoyed :D

Please don't forget to make any suggestions if you have any and please review!


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies.

Hi guys!

First of all, a huge thank you for all your reviews :D they are lovely and I love receiving them, so please keep them coming.

Secondly, I've been having migraines for the past couple of days and I had a German speaking exam today, so I'm not as happy with this chapter as a result of a lack of time. I didn't want you guys to wait too long though so I wrote it out anyway. I hope you enjoy it anyway but I promise the chapters will get better after this one.

If anyone has any ideas for the one-shot story please tell me! I'm begging for ideas!

Anyway, hope you guys enjoy...

* * *

Six

"Ok, so you just have to stay here and look after John's chest. Don't let anyone take it" I order Sarah. She sighs and looks at me exasperated.

"I'm not going to leave the room; no one will be able to get to the chest. And if I am attacked, I'll hide it. I'll be fine, you guys are the ones going to the base" she replies. I shrug and nod.

"Can't be too careful" I reply. I pull on my coat and strap my sword to my belt. I look pretty badass with black jeans and a black leather jacket, i'm not gonna lie. John must think so too because he seems to appreciate how I look.

"Ok, well, stay safe" Sarah says. She gets up and hugs John who holds her close in return. I do feel sorry for him despite my jealousy; loving two people must suck.

John pulls back and kisses her gently, before stepping out of her arms. She smiles at him sadly and then I grab his hand. We turn invisible and leave the room.

The base is ten minutes away from Birmingham but has been disguised as a factory. It's a big base; the biggest in England apparently. John and I will walk there as it's easier for us and we don't have a time limit.

Today we're going to assess the layout to get as much information as possible. Since it's such an active compound there will be developed drugs, mogadorian animals and a whole lot more. We need to collect as much information as possible before we return tomorrow to destroy the place.

Now _that_ will be fun.

John and I don't speak as we make our way over to the base; we're filled with too much adrenalin to have a heart-to-heart. And to be honest, I can't be bothered with him anymore. He says he loves me but he continues to be with Sarah. I'm done with him; done with love. I'll be more like Five, a warrior who's disinterested in love. Emotions just get you hurt.

We reach the base and crouch outside. There are lots of cameras and other detection systems but we'll be fine with invisibility. A huge barbed wire fence surrounds the whole place and a shiver goes down my back at just how deadly the whole place looks.

"Ok, so we can use telekinesis to get over the fence and then we improvise" John whispers. I smirk slightly.

"Seems a solid plan" I retort. I hear him laugh very quietly and then we walk to the fence. We easily manage to lift ourselves over using our legacy. It seems too simple, although I know that today is the easier day. Tomorrow will be harder.

We creep towards the main building and my heart begins to pound a bit more. Despite being a great fighter, I still have nightmares about bases. They remind me of Katarina and her death. I try to squash those memories; I need to focus. Still, the pain lingers as we make our way across the grounds.

We reach the main doors and then stop. They're massive and industrial – looking; basically impossible to sneak through invisibly. I don't think even the mogs wouldn't be suspicious if these doors opened without someone there. We have to have a key card to enter and obviously, we don't have one of those. Well damn.

"What are we going to do?" John asks in dismay. I sigh in annoyance.

"We'll probably have to wait for someone else to open the doors" I reply. I hear him swear and I smile. We have time, just not patience.

Fortunately, we don't have to wait for long as a mog soon leaves the building. It's carrying a gun and the instinct to grab the weapon and kill the mog is overwhelming. I have to squash it down; killing the mog will give away our position and we need to remain hidden.

We enter the base and I suck my breath in, shocked. The place is huge. The mogs tunnelled down into the earth because I see escalators link different levels way below. There are also many leading to floors above us. There are hundreds of different hallways on each level and I begin to feel dismayed. How on earth can we learn everything about this place?

"I say we go to the experiment rooms" John whispers very quietly to me. I understand immediately. After the drug used on us to block our legacies, I've felt more vulnerable around agents. We need to discover the other, potentially more harmful drugs.

"Ok" I whisper back. We begin to head to a map that's displayed near the entrance; it's like a twisted shopping centre where it directs you to all the different shops. I suppose even mogs get lost, though the image in my head is pretty funny. They would look even more stupid than they do usually.

We spot the level labelled 'Development and Experimentation: Loric'. I feel anger grow in my stomach but I have to try really hard to suppress it. They have a whole level dedicated to develop drugs to harm us! I suppose I shouldn't have thought any different but it still pisses me off.

We use telekinesis to float ourselves to the level because it's quicker and helps us practice. Once we're on the floor we begin exploring.

It takes hours. There are so many rooms dedicated to these drugs that will destroy us. And there are so many different kinds. There was one room filled with a chemical that could turn our legacies against us once administered. I shivered at that one; how horrible to be betrayed by your own inheritance. There was another drug that could transfer our legacies to the mogs. Again, a horrible prospect. We also saw torture drugs, chemicals that could read minds (I didn't fully understand that one) and many more.

We make our way out of the base and make back for the hotel. We need a good sleep and then we're ready for tomorrow. Ready to destroy the base.

Because after everything we saw today, we'll be doomed if we don't.

We walk in silence until we're a couple of minutes from the hotel, when John drags me into an alley. I turn visible and look at him surprised, unsure by his behaviour. I'm about to ask what's wrong, when he leans down and kisses me.

It's a slow and sweet kiss; neither of us wants to get carried away. I wind my arms around his neck as he pulls back, a smug smile on his face. I grin and raise my eyebrow at him. It seems my resolve to give up on love lasted very well.

"I'm sorry. I've wanted to do that all day" he says, blushing slightly.

I laugh and push his hair out of his eyes. "You don't have to apologise about kissing me. I don't mind" I reply. He grins and then leans down, pressing his forehead to mine. Our lips are millimetres apart and it's so tempting to reach up and kiss him again.

"Only a couple more weeks and then it's just us. No more Sarah to separate us" he says, a grim smile on his face. I sigh and pull away.

"If she's that much of a problem then why don't you end with her now" I ask, a frown on my face. He looks down, a guilty look on his face.

"I'm a coward, aren't I" he replies. I reach out and take his hand, running my thumb over his skin. He smiles gently.

"I know it's hard but you have to do it soon, not put it off otherwise she'll just feel worse" I try to persuade him. He nods and takes a shaky breath.

"Ok... after the base, I promise I'll tell her" he says. I smile and my heart leaps with joy inside of me. He grins at my attempts to feign disinterest and he leans down, pressing a kiss to my lips.

"God, I love you" he mutters.

I reply with a kiss.

Xxx

Nine

I lie on the massive bed and smile in satisfaction. Now this is luxury. Russia sure knows how to treat people well. We're in a ridiculously expensive hotel but since we had a lot of money with us when we arrived on Earth, we can afford it. And hey, we're fighting an impossible war; we might as well get spoilt whenever we can.

I hear the shower stop running; Five has finally finished. That girl loves long showers. I've already had one and am now lying on the bed in fresh clothes. It's my last pair but i'm ok with dirty clothes. You have to be when you're constantly on the run.

Ella's lying on the bed next to me. She's also showered and is wearing pyjamas under that over-sized dressing gown. She's very sleepy and is trying to resist the urge to fall asleep. Cute. She probably wants to stay awake to talk through the plan with Five and I but I would go to sleep if I were her. It's not often you can have a luxury nap.

Five leaves the bathroom wearing leggings and an over-sized jumper. Somehow she looks good in it. I avoid her gaze and concentrate on flicking through TV channels. After my breakdown earlier, i'm embarrassed to face her. I haven't told anyone the details about Sandor's death and I never expected such a strong reaction.

I think of the way she was so kind to me and didn't make me feel stupid for crying. When she had hugged me, I literally thought I was in heaven.

_You like her_ a small part of me acknowledges. There's no point in denying it, I do like her. A lot. She's strong and deadly but at the same time, she's still a good person inside. You just have to work really hard to get a glimpse of that Five.

And best of all, she has flaws like me. She can be too proud at times and too emotionless, keeping things locked up. She's not this seemingly perfect girl like Six; there are lots of things about Five that needs fixing but that's what makes her special. Human.

"So, what's our plan?" I ask. I let her make the decisions; I would just go and kill as many mogs as I could if it were up to me. The bastards deserve it. However, Five thinks more strategically and right now, that's necessary.

"Well... I heard of a special Loric artefact hidden in Saint Petersburg" she begins. I sit up interested.

"Where did you hear that?" I ask. She smiles and sits close to me. I can smell her shampoo; it makes me smile at the smell of vanilla. But then the memory of Maddy's hair smelling the same way makes my heart harden.

Above all else, I'll make the mogs pay. This is war.

"In the documents we got from Paradise" she explains. I nod along, distracted by the thought of killing mogs. It's a pleasant train of thought. "Apparently, the Loric loved Saint Petersburg and there are loads of Loric artefacts hidden there"

I sigh. "It's pretty big; we'll need a specific location" I counter. She grins.

"There were some directions to a small church in the city. I think I can remember enough to get by" she says. I roll my eyes.

"Of course you can" I say. She smiles and looks down. A strand of hair falls on her cheek and I lean forward and tuck it back behind her ear without thinking. She looks up, startled. Our eyes meet and I feel a flash of warmth travel through me. Yeah, I definitely like her.

Suddenly, we hear a crash and shouting from along the corridor. I'm up on my feet immediately and I run to the door. I open it and peer out, adrenalin pounding through me. Other heads stare out of doors so I don't stick out fortunately. I see a couple of armed men at the end and swear. I shut the door and turn back to Five and Ella, who's woken up.

"We've gotta go; the authorities have arrived" I say. Five nods, looking resolute. She pulls on a pair of thick snow boots and Ella and I do the same. I shove my chest in my rucksack and sling it on my shoulder, Five following suit. I grab our coats and chuck them to the others. In seconds, we're dressed, although Ella is least prepared for the cold out of all of us. She can change later.

I run to the window and throw it open, when the door crashes down. I hear the sound of bullets and duck instinctively. Ella cries out and I see her crumple to the ground, blood staining her thigh. Five is grabbed by one of the men but she throws him into a wall easily. I run over to Ella and scoop her up in my arms.

"Five, come on!" I shout desperately. Usually I would fight back and deal out death and pain, but I need to get Ella to safety. Five looks over and stops her attack on the Russian cops. I grab her arm and jump out of the window.

Thanks to my anti-gravity legacy, we don't go tumbling to our deaths. Five hangs towards the ground, only held up by my hold on her arm. I throw her over my shoulder and run up to the rooftop. We manage to make it there before the cops begin shooting at us.

"What are we going to do?" Five shouts as I look at Ella properly. It's a serious wound; the bullet hit a main artery. I panic and look at her.

"We need to help Ella! She can't die!" I say desperately. I think of all the people I've already lost; I can't lose Ella too. Five nods and rummages in her pocket. A look of horror passes over her face.

"The healing stone's back in the hotel room! I left it in the bathroom!" she says. I look at her in dismay. We can't lose Ella, she's too special. A fierce wind blows against us and I see Five shudder in the chill. I don't care, I only have one goal. To kick some major Russian ass.

Oh, and save Ella too of course.

"We need to get it!" I shout. She nods and then there's a banging against the door to the roof. We look over in a panic.

"Shit" I hiss. Never have I felt so helpless yet so eager at the same time. Usually I would just beat up the wastes of space that are the cops but I need to take care of Ella. She is lying lifeless in my arms and there's nothing I can do. I feel terrible; I have to do something before it's too late.

"Take Ella and get the hell out of here. I'll get the healing stone" I say, passing Ella to Five. She hesitates before she takes Ella, putting her over her shoulder.

"How will you find us?" she says, uncertainty in her voice. I smile grimly.

"Hopefully, you'll come and get me" I say. She nods, serious, and then grabs my hand as I turn to leave. I look back at her surprised. She leans up and kisses me gently on the cheek before speaking.

"Stay safe" she says and then she's invisible. Gone. I stand there for a second, a stupid grin on my face and then I shake myself. I have to get the stone. I'll worry about that stupid kiss later.

I take a deep breath and step off the roof, just as the cops manage to break down the door. Fortunately they don't see me and there aren't any more police leaning out the window, waiting to shoot. They must have all run to the roof door.

I run down the wall of the hotel and reach our room in record time. Fear for Ella is making me faster than usual. I jump through the window and then duck as bullets slam by the wall where my head would have been. I look up and use telekinesis to throw the young soldier into a wall. He's the only one here; left to guard the place if we return. He didn't do very well.

Faintly I hear angry shouting from the roof and grin in amusement. They're not gonna be happy that I outwitted them and they'll have to return down here. I race for the bathroom, spotting the healing stone almost immediately. I breathe a sigh of relief and grab it quickly.

A sudden shooting pain bursts in my side as I turn and I look in shock as the soldier aims at me again. I swear; I just assumed I had knocked him out. I use telekinesis to snap his neck automatically. The worst thing is I don't care about it that much. This is a war. I know he would have killed me, hell he tried to!

I hear the pound of feet drawing closer and I know I have to leave before they discover me and the dead guy. Then they really would want to kill me.

Ignoring the pain in my shoulder, I race for the window but am shot twice more as I escape. The humans are faster than I thought. Gotta give them bonus points for that. I groan in pain at the blood running down my arm from the wounds in my shoulder but I don't have time to heal myself and the injuries are not serious enough to cause me concern.

I send a telekinetic blast towards the Russian police as I jump out the window and I hear them cry in shock as they are thrown back. I laugh maniacally, overcome by the familiar bloodlust. I turn into this different person when I fight, the one consumed in rage over Sandor's and Maddy's death.

Once more I race for the roof; the street is swarming with police cars. I have to escape before they get helicopters out. I leap over the gap between roofs once I reach there and sprint full out along the top of Russian buildings. The danger has adrenalin pumping through my veins and a wild grin is on my face. I feel like James Bond from the films Sandor adored. I can still feel my injuries but I don't care. I totally kicked their asses.

In the distance, I hear the police shouting in confusion at my rapid escape but they don't know where I am. Five, Ella and I will have a small chance to leave whilst they authorities figure out where we've gone.

"Nine!" I hear a voice and stop abruptly. Five is standing on the same roof as me, next to the door to the roof. We're above a block of flats, ten minutes away from the hotel. We're definitely much safer. I wonder what we're doing here. I race over to her, waving the healing stone.

"I got it" I say, proud of myself. She smiles relieved.

"Thank god. I left Ella in an empty apartment; the family were leaving just as we arrived. We can spend a couple of hours here and then we have to go" she says. I nod and we race down the stairs leading to the flats.

When we reach the apartment Five and Ella camped out in, I feel a pang of guilt. The poor family. Even though we haven't destroyed their place, we still shouldn't be here. We're invading their home.

It's funny, I feel bad about spending a couple of hours in someone's home yet I don't care when I kill someone. Maybe John's right, I am messed up.

However, when I see Ella, lying unconscious in an alarming pool of blood, I forget my thoughts.

I rush over and place the healing stone on Ella's leg wound. Five crouches next to me, a tense look on her face. I vaguely notice that Ella is lying on a thick blanket; Five did that so there won't be a stain on the carpet for the family to notice. How considerate. We both hold our breaths, waiting.

Gradually the bleeding slows and Ella's wound begins to close up. Five grins and leans back, clearly relieved. I continue to hold the stone there until i'm absolutely sure Ella's better. She doesn't wake up but I think that's down to blood loss.

"Will she be ok? She's lost a lot of blood" I say. Five nods and absentmindedly brushes Ella's hair back from her forehead.

"She hasn't lost enough for it to be a major problem. She'll be weak but she's ok. She'll live" she replies. I grin and lean back, and then groan as my injuries make themselves known.

"Are you ok?" Five asks. I shake my head and take my jacket off, showing her the blood soaked into my shirt. She frowns, worried about me.

I peel my shirt off, not embarrassed at all in front of Five. A couple of years ago I would have freaked out but now those things don't scare me anymore. Only the possibility of friends dying does.

I press the stone to my side and I groan in pain as it amplifies. God, I hate that about the healing stone; it increases pain to heal you. Five takes my hand, looking sympathetic. Once the wound in my side is done, I try to press the stone to my back but I can't reach. Well damn.

Five smiles and takes the stone from me. I turn around and she presses the stone to my injuries. The pain races through my body and I try so hard not to swear. Damn, it hurts so badly. Five's hands are warm against my back and I try to focus on that instead of the pain. It doesn't make it any easier.

After five minutes of pain, Five removes the stone. "All done" she says. She sounds subdued and I look at her closely.

"You ok?" I ask. She avoids my gaze and stands up. She moves towards her bag and slings it over her shoulder.

"Yeah, just tired. I wish we would stop being attacked all the time. Anyway, we've gotta go, I changed my mind. The police are not as stupid as I thought and will search around here soon. Do you think you can carry Ella?" she says. I raise an eyebrow and she sighs.

"Point taken" she mutters.

I grin and scoop Ella up easily. I notice Five picks my bag up and puts it on her other shoulder.

"Are we going invisible?" I ask. She grins and holds out her hand.

"Of course" she says.

I take her hand, trying to ignore how much I wish she'd kiss me again.

Xxx

Marina

I can't say how happy I am to finally reach people. It's funny considering that we've been trying to hide from humans and attention for months but now it's just nice to be around the public. Even if the entire population of this village is below 60.

It's all very stereotypical for Kenya but it looks nice. Untouched by the modern world. Eight and Adam seem unnerved by this small place but Santa Teresa wasn't big. I suppose both of them are used to cities; even though Eight lived by himself for years, he still lived in New Delhi for a while beforehand.

"So where do we go?" Adam asks. I shrug. We're hiding in the trees surrounding the village. There aren't many people around at the moment but I can hear their minds. They're all inside right now, seeing as it is night time.

"Well we just need to ask if there is a mog base nearby and then we can go" Eight says. I grin at what he said.

"So we just go up a native and ask casually if they know if an evil alien base is nearby. And that's assuming they speak English" I say. Eight grins; he knows i'm not being mean.

"Sounds solid to me" he says, smiling crookedly. God, he is gorgeous. I sometimes forget just how special he is.

"Well I just say we go for it. We have nothing to lose" Adam muses. I break my eyes contact with Eight and look at Adam. I shrug.

"Might as well" I say. We stand up and make our way towards the village. We've only made it a couple of steps when Adam and Eight are suddenly jerked up in the air by their feet. I manage to dodge out of the way and I watch stunned as the two of them hang from a trap.

Suddenly, i'm grabbed and a knife is pressed to my throat. I didn't even think of an attack. Unfortunately, I can't understand my captor's mind because it's in another language, so i'm unsure as to whether I can convince him to let me go. Probably not.

"Let her go!" Eight snarls whilst Adam protests about letting the two of them go. They swing madly and I hear Adam swear under his breath. It would be quite funny if our lives weren't being threatened.

A couple of native Kenyans step out of the darkness holding weapons and I sigh mentally. They already knew we were here; they set the trap for us. They're wearing ordinary clothes and are carrying modern-looking knives. Obviously they _are_ in touch with the modern world. I hope they can speak enough English to get by.

"Who are you?" the man holding me says. He has a thick accent and it's quite hard to understand at first but I manage.

"My name is Gabby and that is Joseph and Stanley" I say, using the first names I can think of. I know it won't make a difference but i'm just so used to it; it's second nature.

"What are you doing here?" he asks me. When I don't answer he grabs my rucksack from my back and pushes me to the floor. I fall onto the ground and I see Eight glaring furiously as he tries to free himself. He's not using legacies just yet; if there is a mog base around we sort of need to keep quiet.

"We're here to find a big building" Adam explains, simplifying his English so they can understand him. I look at him shocked by his bluntness but then I guess we do need to know where it is. And there can only be one 'big building' around here.

However, Adam's honestly has the opposite effect. The leader shares a fearful look with his men and then grabs a spear. He aims it at me and I crawl back, but not that worried. I've faced worse. He throws it and i'm about to stop it with telekinesis when Eight appears in front of me and snatches it out of the air. He teleported and now looks pretty angry.

The natives look shocked and back away, fear on their faces. I realise they're scared of the mogs working in the base; they know the dangers. I can use this to our advantage.

I scramble up and grab Eight's arm to stop him from doing anything rash. I hear Adam still trying to free himself and he finally succeeds using Eight's tactic, teleportation. The men look on terrified and look as though they're waiting for death. They're scared of us.

"Wait! We're not going to hurt you; we're enemies of the base" I explain. They understand enough to realise i'm not a threat because the leader lowers his second spear. I relax ever so slightly.

"We need to get there to destroy it" I say. The leader frowns then sighs. Guess he's better at English than I thought.

"Go. A day's journey north. You must leave now" he says pointing the direction out for us and then he turns around and melts into the forest. The rest of his men follow and we're left standing there.

That was weird.

I pick up my bag and sling it over my shoulder. Eight and Adam are still wearing theirs.

"We need to go. They don't want to be involved with the mogs and I don't blame them" I say. Eight nods and takes my hand. I smile at him reassuringly and he grins back.

We continue our hike towards the base.

Xxx

We arrive there the next morning when the sun is breaking into the sky. It's quite cool at the moment but I know it will soon heat up to a high temperature. I'm already sweating slightly from fear; I don't need extra heat as well.

Eight smiles next to me as we reach the edge of the compound; he's excited despite the prospect of a battle. Or maybe that's why he's smiling. A whole section of trees have been cleared away and right in the middle, is a big building. It's not nearly as big as New Mexico but still, the thought of all the mogs it could hold are terrifying.

Adam settles next to me and we all crouch behind a bush, deciding our next move. I reach out with my mind to calculate how many mogs there are. I don't find anything at all. Confused, I widen my search until I finally connect with some minds. I stiffen with surprise.

"There are only three mogs" I whisper to the others. Eight's eyebrows shoot up in shock. Adam also looks stunned.

"Only three? But the mog seemed so worried about us finding out about this base" Adam whispers. I nod slowly.

"There are definitely only three. What should we do?" I ask.

"Investigate" Eight whispers back. "We can take three mogs"

I nod again but there's a feeling in the pit of my stomach telling me something's horribly wrong here. I don't know what it is though and that frustrates me. I scramble after the others as they walk towards the base; the mogs can't see us from where they are.

We enter the building and all at once, the feeling of dread intensifies. What must have been a centre of mog activity once is now a barren waste of space. The whole interior has been stripped of equipment and furniture. Doors barely hang on to doorways and rotting plants cover the floor. It's pretty disgusting.

We pick our way through the mess and get to a long corridor. We slowly walk down it, waiting for a trap of some sort but nothing comes. Maybe we're being over-paranoid. I hear the mogs' thoughts in my mind becoming louder and fear builds in me. I'll never enjoy battle like Nine.

"We're getting closer to them" I tell Eight quietly. He nods and we turn a corner. A pile of rubble stands where there would have once been stairs. Now there's just a ladder propped up. I sense the mogs are upstairs and Eight easily teleports us to the top once I tell him. We make less noise that way.

We continue to sneak down the next hallway, until we reach the outside of the room occupied by mogs. We hear them talking and listen in to what they say. I focus in and see Adam and Eight do the same.

"They're going to conduct some experiments on him but I don't know what difference it will make" one mog says with a high voice. I hear a snort.

"Are you kidding?! He's half-alive! We can gain so much information from his thoughts!" a second mogs says. His voice is deeper and more threatening.

"What I want to know is how he's alive now? He was killed by the General" says the third mog. He sounds choked up, as though he has a cold. Suspicion begins to trickle in about this mystery person they're talking about, but it can't be. It's impossible.

"Well, Zulak said that he's being saved by that planet, the one that's supposed to be dead" says the second mog. I look at Eight and see the same expression of hope on his face.

"What do you have to do to wipe out a planet?!" says the first mog, annoyed. I glower at that statement but suppress my anger; I have to hear what they are saying about this mystery person.

"Well anyway, once Three is half-aware, we can take his thoughts and use it against the other Garde" says the third mog. I freeze and see the expressions of shock on the others' faces.

It can't be. It has to be a lie.

Number Three is alive.

* * *

Ok, so I know a lot of you didn't want Two and Three to come back but I promise there will be a good storyline for them :D just trust me on this

I hope you enjoyed the chapter, even though I don't think it was as good as other ones.

However, next chapter a new legacy will be developed and Sarah's time will nearly be up :)

so, please review!


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...

Hi guys!

Thank you all sooooo much for your amazing response to my last chapter with all the reviews :) it definitely made writing this chapter a lot easier, especially since I'm so busy right now. But i'll keep the chapters coming just for you guys because you're all so lovely and encouraging.

I'm thrilled you guys are happy Three is alive. It was a big gamble to take with this story but if you guys are happy, then that makes my life a whole lot easier.

Anyway, on with the chapter...

* * *

John

"John! What are you doing?!"

I look over and see Six deal a mog an awesome roundhouse kick. Impressive. She's furious with me because I decided to take a detour to find the prisoners. But I need to know if there's anyone we can save before we destroy the place. Nine and I didn't do it long ago in West Virginia and I've never forgiven myself for not helping them.

We're in the base and we are completely destroying it. We've been here an hour already and have pretty much ruined the whole bottom half of the base. That was filled with mog accommodation and the canteens. There was some good food on display; shame we had to destroy it. There were also the mogadorian animals: the krauls and the pikens. Since I can communicate with them, I felt bad about killing them even though it was necessary. It still felt cruel.

Sarah decided to join us this time and is mowing down mogs confidently. She's grown so much in the past hour and I feel so proud of her. She's killing mogs who have been training for years but she doesn't seem to be hurt at all. I can't believe this is the Sarah who gave us in; she's completely transformed. It's the Sarah I fell in love with.

Six spins on one foot and slices a mog's neck easily. She's been in her element; slashing, slicing, stabbing mogs into oblivion. Even Nine would be impressed. She has a small cut on her cheek but doesn't seem to notice or care.

"We need to destroy the science rooms!" she yells at me. That's the level above us but I know there's something important here. Something we need to do.

But what it is, I don't know.

I try telling this to Six but another wave of mogs charge at us. I grab a gun using telekinesis and shoot at the crowd, trying to minimise the numbers. Explosions of ash fill the air and I try not to choke on it. I aim Lumen at my feet and am soon covered in flames. I run into the mogs and they all disintegrate around me. I see Six continue her assault but not as fiercely as before. She knows we've won this section here.

Soon all the mogs are gone and it's just Sarah, Six and I. Six is still pissed with me but I ignore her. Something big is going on here, I know it.

"We need to go this way!" I shout, running down a small corridor. I hear Six protesting but she follows me anyway.

"John! This is madness! You have no idea where you're going!" she screams at me. But I do. I have this pull and i'm going to follow it.

"JOHN!" she yells, furious. I run faster and I hear Sarah trying to catch up with us. Six is pulling her along, not wanting to leave her behind. How times have changed. One time Six wanted her dead, but now she's trying to save her.

I reach a doorway and without thinking, kick it down. I have absolutely no control over my body; I'm just doing what it tells me to.

I run into the room and then stare in shock at what I see. Six and Sarah join me, still fuming, but their mouth hang open once they register what's happening.

It's like a hospital room with a beeping machine attached to a table in the middle of the room. A mog doctor jumps up when he sees us but doesn't do anything; he looks too scared. I focus my eyes on the table, hardly believing it. There's a small girl of around twelve lying on the table. She has reddish-brown hair, freckles and has a small build. She looks as though she's sleeping but the thick wound in her throat is enough to prove she's not. There's dried blood on the clothes she's wearing.

I know her the minute I see her. How could I not after spending a whole year on a ship with her?

"Number Two" Six whispers shocked.

"Stay back!" the mog doctor warns but Six shoots him before he can do anything. He turns to ash immediately.

"What is Two doing here?" Six says, striding over to the table. Sarah still hovers by the doorway, confused. I reach Two and see that she's not breathing. Yet, when I touch her forehead, I feel that surge of life, the one that tips Marina and I off that we can still save the person.

"She's waiting to be healed" I say. Six looks up at me, stunned. I feel as though i'm in a trance; repeating words I didn't know I knew.

"Lorien is keeping her alive until someone can heal her. Me" I say. Six steps forward and shakes her head.

"John! You can't, don't be stupid!" she hisses but I don't listen. I step forward and lay a hand on the girl's forehead, whilst my other hand takes her hand. I still feel as though i'm being controlled by someone else and I feel frightened.

What's happening to me?

"John!" Six shouts. She goes to shake me but when she touches my arm, she flies back and hits the wall as though she touched an electric current. She stands up and stares at me, scared.

I suddenly feel a surge of energy inside me rushing out towards Two through my hand. I try and move it but it's like it's stuck; I can't move it. I groan as I feel my strength slowly depleting and I fall to my knees. I feel someone run up to me and catch me but I ignore that. I continue to heal Two despite my energy sapping.

The rush unexpectedly stops and I let go of Two's hand. I feel myself falling into darkness and I collapse into the person who caught me. I think it's Sarah.

The last thing I see before I faint, is Number Two slowly sitting up.

Xxx

Ella

I lie propped up on a pile of blankets in an abandoned warehouse in Moscow. Five tells me Nine carried me here after they healed me. Apparently, they left the stone behind and Nine went all 'James Bond' (his words not mine) to save me. I'm still tired from my injury but I know I'll be fine. Nine and Five will look after me.

"Oh my god!" Five moans as she digs around in her bag. Nine is lounging next to me, sucking on his sustenance pebble. I've used it too; it's a useful gift from Lorien.

"What's wrong?" I ask concerned. Five looks up at me and scowls.

"I lost my favourite t-shirt!" she says sadly.

Nine snorts and spits out the pebble. He offers it to Five but she shakes her head. Judging by her size, she's skipped meals before and she's not bothered by hunger. I wish I could be that tough, but I guess it only happens after you spend years surviving on your own. Six is like that too. You have to suffer to be a survivor.

"What was so special about it?" Nine asks.

"It had an awesome design. But now it's gone, taken by the authorities" she says, sinking down sadly. I see Nine roll his eyes.

"Look, you were the one who said you shouldn't get attached" he says. I giggle at this overreaction; it's just a top!

"Anyway, we should go. We need to catch that train to St Petersburg. I hope this artefact is there and it's not just a theory" Nine adds, standing up. Five nods and leans back. She pulls her coat on over her jumper, sighing sadly.

I get up and pull my own coat on. I changed this morning into much better clothes and am now ready for whatever happens. We still don't know how the mogs are tracking us, but we don't have much time to think about it. We just have enough time to escape and then recuperate before being attacked again.

We step out into the street and immediately I feel colder. Five had been using her legacy to warm the air in the warehouse but now we have to brave the elements. Snow falls down around us and I pull my coat tighter around me. Five's lips soon turn blue and she scowls even more.

"This is why I love Rio" she mutters to herself, kicking snow. I grin and see Nine roll his eyes. We don't mind as much; we're used to colder temperatures because we've moved around so much. But Five, who has spent practically her whole life in Brazil, is used to heat. Snow is completely new for her and somehow I get the feeling she doesn't like it.

We get to the train station eventually and Five successfully 'buys' us tickets. Well, she said she did but I think she just compelled the guy to give us free ones. We wait around and I find myself intimidated by the large crowds, conscious of how there could be threats hidden amongst it. Nine seems to enjoy it though and I wonder if it reminds him of Chicago. He loves that place more than any other on Earth.

"I'll be right back" Five says and then she slips into the crowd before I can protest. I look up at Nine, worried and frustrated. We shouldn't spilt up!

"Don't worry, she's only getting coffee" he says. He sits down on an empty chair and I perch on the one next to him. Our train won't arrive for another half an hour yet so i'm not worried about missing it.

"What are you thinking about?" I ask him. He sighs and his face looks dark.

"My Cepan. I've been thinking about him more, recently" he mutters. I take his hand. I may not know his story but i'm good with sympathy.

"Same. Sometimes I wonder if we'll be able to do anything without them" I say. He smiles sadly.

"Me too...I'm sorry you had to lose yours so early" he says. I nod and look away. I miss Crayton more than anything and I know Nine feels the same. We would do anything to get ours back.

"Do you think Five misses her Cepan?" I ask. She never seems to be sad when talking about her dead guardian but she may just be hard to read. Nine sighs and looks away.

"Yes... but not as much as us" he says. I look at him confused.

"Why not?" I ask timidly. He sighs and leans back.

"She's had five years to deal with it and... well, she's different to us. She doesn't let emotions get to her like they do for us. After years of blocking out minds from her legacy, she transferred it to emotions" he explains. I nod and look away, wondering about how he knows her so well. I see Five make her way towards us and stand up.

"Right, now I have my caffeine fix, let's go!" she says cheerfully, completely unaware of our dark moods.

I trail along behind her, thinking how terrible it must be to not let emotions get to you. Five must be a lot colder than we think.

I sigh sadly. I wish Marina were here.

Xxx

We're in first class, _of course_, and I watch the countryside blur by. Nine and Five are both asleep, Nine snoring away. Five is curled up on a bench in a ball whilst Nine is laying stretched out on another one. There are a couple of other passengers in the carriage but they're out of eyesight.

I draw my chin to my knees and sigh. I nibble on a couple of crisps but can't seem to eat properly. I feel on edge somehow but I don't know what's wrong. Maybe i'm just becoming more and more paranoid.

Since no one's looking, I begin to practice my telekinesis. I've only managed a bit but I can now lift up guns and swords with it. Soon I'll be able to stop bullets. I can't wait to be of use in battle, to show i'm not useless.

"Looking good, kiddo" I look over to see Nine awake. He grins at me and stretches his arms out, sitting up in the process.

"Thanks. It's going better than I thought it would" I admit, letting the crisps fall back into the packet. He gets up and sits next to me.

"I think you just practice it more. Hell, if Sandor hadn't forced me to practice with it _all the time_ then I wouldn't be so confident with it now" he says. I smile.

Nine looks at Five and I see a puzzled look on his face. The two of them have been getting closer recently and I wonder if he's beginning to fall for her. Or maybe he just trusts her a lot. Whatever it is, I know things have certainly changed between the two. I just can't figure out what.

"I wonder what other-" Nine begins to say but it is interrupted by a huge crash in the next carriage. My head snaps up and I look at Nine confused. He looks concerned but isn't jumping up with his staff in his hand. Five stirs slightly and opens her eyes.

"What's going on?" she murmurs wearily.

I'm about to answer when there's the sound of gunfire and bullets break through into our carriage. Splinters of plastic and metal fly around. Nine grabs Five and I and pulls us to the floor of the carriage; out of the way of the gunfire. I hear the other passengers scream and I pity them. This isn't their war.

"This is the initial attack! They're gonna run out of bullets soon! Then we run to the next carriage!" Five shouts over the gunfire. I grab Nine's chest; he won't remember to grab it. He's already excited, a wild grin on his face.

The bullets stop and we jump up immediately. We sprint for the next carriage when the shooting starts again and I hear Nine swear. Five runs backwards, whilst creating a telekinetic shield. I wish I could do that now but I know I soon will be able to with practice. We reach the door and Nine kicks it down easily.

In the next carriage a couple of soldiers lunge for us, but Five gives one a roundhouse kick. He goes falling down and grabs her foot, pulling her down with him. She whacks her head on a metal seat and she lies there, slightly dazed. I run forward and grab the guy's gun, hitting him on the head in the process. He slumps back down, unconscious. Nine has dealt with the other guy and is ripping rows of seats up to create a barrier against the bullets in the space where the door was. Five gets up to help him.

The other passengers in the carriage scream and run for the next one, but panic when they realise there's not another one. We're in the last one. I look at them in horror; the likelihood is that they'll die. I see a family of three, a mother with two kids and I know we have to help them. We can't let them die.

"We have to leave the carriage!" I shout to Nine and Five. They follow my eye line and nod when they see the two terrified kids.

Nine runs to the window and kicks it out. He's so strong; the whole thing pops out easily. He leans his head out of the hole but nobody shoots. We have a clear escape route.

"Ok, grab my hand!" he yells. I nod and grab his hand and Five does the same. Nine jumps out and I scream as I hang inches above the speeding track. Nine pulls me up and wraps an arm around my waist as he sprints up the train. We reach the roof quickly and then Nine sets us down.

"Ok, what do we do now?!" Five demands. She's clutching a gun and has blood dripping down her face from the head wound. She seems fine though so I don't get the healing stone out. Nine scans the horizon when a roof door opens and three mogs leap out. These are huge, muscular mogs; clearly the best of the best. I see Nine grin in anticipation and he charges, his staff out in front of him.

"Stay back" Five warns me. I nod and take the gun she gives me. Whilst I want to help, i'm no match for these mogs. Nine's only just holding his own against them. I could shoot but they're wearing armour so I'd have to shoot accurately and the trains moving around too much for that. I don't want to hit Five or Nine.

A mog lunges for Five but she dodges and moves out the way. She throws a punch to his stomach in the process but the mog doesn't seem to notice. They move in a complicated sequence, dodging and aiming hits. It's like a deadly dance. Nine has finished one mog and has moved to the last one.

I hear a cry and I look to see Five thrown to the roof of the train. She crawls back, her arm hanging limp next to her. She swings her leg out and the mog falls as she trips him up. He grabs her leg and drags her to him. I see her struggle but she's not strong enough. I have to help. I can hear more mogs approaching from the rest of the train; we need to escape or we're doomed.

"Nine!" I hear Five choke out. The mog has his hand around her neck and is trying to push her to the tracks below. I see Nine try and move to help her but he can't, he's too occupied with his mog. I run forward and shoot the mog's knee, praying I miss Five. I hear the mog howl and lean back. Five lunges forward and punches it right in the nose. It staggers back further and she grabs his arm and swings him over the train onto the tracks below. I see it explode into ash.

"We need to go!" Nine shouts. He's finished with his but has blood dripping from his nose and he's clutching his leg. Ouch. I nod and help Five stand. She nods at me gratefully.

"There are more mogs on the train!" she says to us, panic in her voice. Oh god. What are we going to do?

We snake around a corner and we see a bridge approaching over a river. We'll have to jump when the train passes over. Nine has the same idea, because he smiles and grabs his chest. Five looks white as paper whilst clutching her chest.

"Oh no, not that" she mutters. I look at her concerned, she's not preparing. We have to jump!

"Five come on!" Nine shouts, reaching the edge of the roof. We're almost there and I begin to tense my muscles. She shakes her head and takes a step back.

"I can't swim!" she shouts. I look at her stunned. I would have thought it would be essential for her to learn that as a Garde member.

"What?!" Nine yells incredulously. We're almost there and I can feel the urgency.

"I'm scared of deep water!" she screams back, terror in her voice as we reach the bridge. I hear the mogs loading their cannons beneath us and the floor begins to explode as they aim for us through the roof. I scream and stumble around, trying to avoid the deathly blasts erupting around my feet. We need to jump.

Nine lunges forward and grabs Five's arm. Before she can do anything, he throws her towards the river. I hear her shriek as she falls with her chest. He motions at me and then follows Five, throwing himself off the train.

I take a deep breath, close my eyes and jump.

Xxx

Adam

We all stare at each other in shock at that revelation. Lorien is keeping Three alive long enough until someone can save him. And guessing by Marina's incredible healing skills, I guess it's her. The mogs continue to talk about other random stuff; they have no idea we're here.

I see Eight shift and I realise he's going to go in there, to get more information. Before I can say anything, he disappears and there's shouting from inside. Marina shoots up and races inside, so fast she's a blur. I follow as quickly as I can.

I enter the room and see Eight has killed two mogs and is holding the other in a headlock. He hasn't even broken a sweat; that is how easy it was for him. Marina leans over the mog and locks eyes with it. I see the compulsion taking over the mog and I shiver as it gazes at her adoringly. It's scary to see it work. Eight shoves it onto a chair and holds a hand around the mog's neck, a warning to not attack us.

"Where is Number Three?" Marina asks softly. The mog smiles at her happily, completely taken over by compulsion. Eight smirks at me and I grin back, leaning against the wall. We're in no danger now; the mog is completely taken over by her legacy.

"In a base. In Canada" he says. Marina smiles gently back; she can't be cruel, not even to a mog.

"How is he alive?" she asks.

"I don't know. After he died, his body was taken to the US, so they could conduct experiments on him, like they did for One. But a year ago, he started to pick up on the machines. His mind began to work and now he's almost alive. Well his mind is, but he still had his injury. That's what's keeping him half-dead" the mog explains.

Afterwards he seems puzzled at what he said and I notice Marina grimace slightly. I've seen from Five that compulsion is hard to keep up for that long. Marina must be wavering slightly.

Eight notices too. "Is that it?" he demands, his face and voice very frightening. The mog cowers when he sees Eight and nods desperately.

"I swear! That's all I know!" he says desperately. Marina stops the compulsion and the mog collapses, stunned. He then lunges up for Marina, once he realises what happened. Eight is too quick though and stabs the mog through the back, before it can touch her. It turns to ash immediately.

I join Marina and smile at her kindly. She looks tired from her legacy but she smiles back at me, reassuringly.

"You all right?" I ask. She nods.

"So it looks like we go to Canada. The base is near Toronto" she says. Eight nods and takes her hand protectively. I smile at that; it's sweet.

"Ok, we need to get to an airport or-" Eight begins but then there's an unmistakeable noise in the air, the sound of helicopters.

Eight swears and teleports to a window. His face turns serious when he looks outside. I follow him and see about nine or ten helicopters flying towards us. Marina turns pale but straightens up determined.

"They must have tricked us!" I realise. "They planted the idea of Kenya in our minds in Egypt, knowing we'd come here. They've sent an army to fight us!" I say.

"Which means they may be tricking us about Canada" Eight finishes. He loads a gun from the mogs and Marina does the same. I grab the third one and handle it expertly. I know how to aim a gun well; years of training has made me an excellent shot.

"No, Three is there and he's alive! That mog wasn't lying to me; he couldn't!" Marina protests. I nod.

"We have to investigate! It's too important to not go" I say, backing her up. Eight sighs but nods.

"Fine, but first we deal with them" he says, pointing to the helicopters.

I'm about to unleash a torrent of bullets at the machines, when the room around us explodes with gunfire. Marina grabs me and pulls me to the floor as the window smashes from the hundreds of bullets being fired from the helicopters. I see Eight crouching on the floor next to us. He looks serious and I realise this must be bad if Eight is worried. He's always so cheerful.

"We need to go to the roof!" Marina shouts over the gunfire. She's right. If we stay in here, the whole place will collapse around us. We stand up and dash for the door, splinters of glass and wood flying around us. I'm cut a lot by these flying missiles but I persevere and reach the hallway. It's slightly safer than the room but we're still in danger.

"This way!" Eight shouts, running further down the corridor. We follow him, dodging random bits of flying shrapnel. I see a large piece of wood flying towards Eight but Marina deflects it with telekinesis.

We reach a small door heading up to the roof and race up it. Before we step onto the roof, Eight turns to us.

"Ok, we need to destroy them all. No sympathy, no pity, no empathy" he says, looking at Marina. She stares back at him and nods, resigned. She'll do the job all right; she's a good fighter but she just doesn't like hurting people. I guess when you can read minds you become more attached and more compassionate. You can read people's pain.

We burst out onto the roof and immediately bullets surround us. Marina covers both me and her with a telekinetic shield; Eight is protecting himself. I wish I could use my legacy to destroy the helicopters but it only works on the ground. I grab my gun and begin unleashing bullets onto the machines. I aim for the engines and sure enough, one of the helicopters explodes after the fuel tank is hit. It falls to the ground, a smouldering lump of metal.

"One down, nine to go" Marina mutters with gritted teeth. She's using telekinesis to destroy another one by wrecking the blades. Eight is doing the same to another one and soon they both fall to the ground. My gun runs out of ammo and I grab Marina's; she's not using it, she's using telekinesis instead.

I begin to think we're doing an ok job, when a rocket explodes by our feet. Marina was distracted and didn't have a chance to divert it. We're flown through the air and land, dazed, a short distance away. I think my arm is broken because I can't move it.

"Stop shooting! Put your hands in the air!" a voice speaks from a microphone. Eight teleports over to us and stands over me as Marina heals my arm. I feel itchy and icy all over my arm but soon feel much better as it clears up. I thank Marina as I sit up.

"We won't give up!" Eight shouts back, determined and defiant. He is shaking madly and I stare at him concerned. Marina tries to stand up but cries out as a bullet shatters her thigh bone. She leans back down to heal it but I know by now she'll have lost a lot of energy. Eight's glare intensifies after Marina's cry of pain.

The helicopters surround us and I see the guns all aim at us. I swallow and grab Marina's hand. We stand up next to Eight, a show that we're a team. I see the despair on her face but I know we can still win. Something tells me we can win.

I hear Eight groan and bend over slightly. He's breathing heavily and I stare at him concerned. Marina runs forward towards him but again bullets explode by her feet and she's sent rocketing through the air and she smashes onto the floor quite a distance away. The guns turn towards her as she struggles to her knees.

Something in Eight changes at that. His face turns icy-cold and his jaw clenches. He throws his arms out and i'm blinded momentarily. A flash of bright green light erupts from his hands and hits a helicopter. It disintegrates in seconds. I hear the panic from the pilots as they begin to shoot at Marina but I teleport to her and take her to Eight. We both hide behind him as he is continues to shoot these bright flashes of fire at the helicopters. They return with gunfire which Marina diverts with telekinesis.

I'm hopeful that we're going to win, now that Eight has developed this incredible new legacy. Marina looks at him with pride and helps him by using telekinesis on the helicopters to keep them still whilst he aims.

"He's got his master legacy!" Marina shouts, a smile on her face. I laugh and grab a spare gun, aiming at the engines to blow them up.

Against all odds, we're winning.

Then something goes wrong. Eight aims another flash at one of the last three helicopters and it crumbles. However, a small stream of that deadly fire is reflected by a blade and it races towards me. Before I can do anything, the bright fire encases my leg and I fall to the floor, screaming.

It's agony. It's like being burned alive, dipped in acid, hit by a truck and everything horrible but multiplied by ten. Even then, it's nowhere close to how painful this is. I'm aware i'm screaming but I don't seem to care. Nothing matters but the pain.

I think Marina is over me, trying to put out the fire but I still continue to howl. She's shouting something, panic in her voice but I ignore her. I feel black spots dancing over my vision and I succumb to them, wishing for death.

I collapse into darkness.

* * *

Ok, so I know someone wanted John to get the legacy but he's getting one soon enough and he's had a tough chapter anyway. And if anyone's read 'Gone' then Eight's legacy is like Sam's; i needed inspiration so I used that one :D

Also, i know it may seem weird that Five can't swim but she needs a major fear/weakness and I thought this would be it.

So, hope you guys enjoyed and please review!


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies.

Hi guys!

Thank you so much for all the support and reviews. It really means a lot to me and helps me continue this story.

To answer a couple of questions, Malcolm and Sam are in Chicago during this time but they will come back into play. Also, Adam got teleportation in chapter 6.

Also if you haven't please check out my other story 'It's the little things that count'. Thank you all so much who have already reviewed. You guys are awesome!

So, please read on and enjoy.

* * *

Sarah

I watch as John falls to the ground and I run to catch him. He lands in my arms and I wrap them around him securely. I look at Six but she doesn't seem concerned about him. I remember Marina once saying if she heals too much, she collapses from exhaustion. I stroke John's hair and kiss his forehead, hoping he'll wake up soon.

Number Two is slowly sitting up. Despite my concern for John, I stare at her stunned. She is completely healed and is stretching her arms out. She looks around confused and frightened. Her eyes focus on Six, who is looking back at her suspicious. Two shrinks back slightly when she sees the huge sword in Six's hand. I don't blame her. Six is terrifying.

"Number Two?" Six asks. The girl nods and looks around again.

"Where am I? Who are you?" she asks. Her voice is high and filled with fear but she looks Six in the eye. Six smiles at her gently and holds her hand out.

"I'm Number Six. You're in England, in a base here" she explains. Two shivers and wraps her arms around herself in a sort of half hug.

"How am I alive?" she asks. I look at her in pity. It must be hard to be killed but then wake up again. So confusing to come to terms with.

"Lorien must have kept you alive. And then John healed the rest of you" Six explains. Two nods and then hops down from the chair.

"Who's John?" she says, still confused. I smile at her reassuringly and she smiles back.

"Number Four but he prefers John. That's his human girlfriend Sarah" Six says, a hint of bitterness in her voice at the end. I try not to roll my eyes; she's still jealous?

"Ok. Got it" Two says. She still looks scared but is determined now. "I guess we need to escape, right?" she says. Six smirks and nods. She hands Two a gun who takes it expertly. I guess they learned how to handle guns as soon as possible.

John suddenly begins to groan and I look down at him. His eyes slowly blink open but he looks weak and exhausted. I lean down and gently kiss him, relieved he's ok. I hear Six whisper something to Two and her giggle slightly in return, but I don't care what she said. I'm just glad John's ok.

I help him stand up and I wrap an arm around his waist, letting him lean on me. He's weak and won't be much use. Six sighs and reaches in her pocket. She hands a small pebble to John and he puts it in his mouth. Immediately, he can stand straighter, although he's not back to full strength.

"This is John. John, meet Two. I'll explain later" Six says abruptly. John smiles at Two who grins back. She doesn't seem so shy now that she's with the others. It's pretty amazing to watch how quickly she gets used to the situation.

"Ok, so we need to get out of here. Any legacies?" Six asks Two, who shakes her head. I see Six frown at that but she doesn't say anything.

"Ok then, we'll have to manage with mine. Let's go people!" she orders. We pile out the door, Six and Two in front whilst I help John walk. He leans on me heavily but I know he'll be ok to walk. He's determined enough to persevere.

The first lot of mogs hit us when we reach the main hallway. There are about 30 of them, all armed with mog cannons and ready to shoot. The bullets race towards us but Six deflects them. I think John helps because I hear him groan slightly next to me. He must be on his last legs if using telekinesis bothers him that much.

Six turns into a warrior at once. She rips through the mogs quickly and effortlessly, slicing her sword through the ranks. Two and I stand and watch, amazed at her skills in battle. At the end, she turns invisible and finishes the mogs off. None of them stood a chance. She reappears, pleased and excited.

"Come on then!" she shouts, running towards the main entrance. We're right in the middle of the base. We can see the exit before us, but I know we have to destroy the rest of this place first. Six frowns slightly and then grins.

"I'll be right back!" she shouts. She turns invisible and disappears. I stand there stunned for a moment. Has she left us to die? But John's here and Six would never leave him. She loves him too much for that.

Two shifts slightly and I see her load her gun again. She must have killed some of the mogs too but I was too entranced by Six's skills to notice. Two may look small and weak but her determination more than makes up for it. If she had lived, she would be John's age by now or possibly older. Instead, she's one of the youngest. I wonder how she will feel about that when she realises.

A mog runs out from a side tunnel but stops when he sees us. He lifts his gun up to shoot but Two is simply faster. The mog explodes to ash after the first bullet; right in its' heart. Two grins, pleased to see she has some use after all.

"Right, I've got it" Six says, suddenly reappearing. I relax at once; I feel safer with her around. I see Two do the same. John still leans in my arms and I kiss his forehead. He smiles at me wearily and leans his head on my shoulder, exhausted by the effort to hold it up.

"Ok, right here goes" Six says. I see her place something on the ground and stare at the bomb in horror. Before I can scream or run, Six laughs at me.

"Don't worry. It's on a timer. We'll be fine" she says. "Come on, this way" she shouts, running to the exit. I nod and begin to drag John along when we're ambushed by mogs.

Six at once throws herself into the battle and Two shoots a steady stream towards them. Ash fills the corridor and I join in, mowing down mogs with my gun. I don't have to be accurate, just consistent. I look at Six and see her panic; clearly she wasn't expecting an attack. The timer on the bomb won't be long enough. We need to leave now.

I increase my speed with the gun and even John begins to join in. Fortunately, the mogs are eventually killed off but I know we have almost no time left. We sprint for the exit, desperation making us fast. Two is ahead of us all; she's a quick runner. Six grabs John and throws him over her shoulder as he's slowing us down the most. She grabs my hand and drags me along as we escape the bomb.

But it's not fast enough.

We've just made it outside when the bomb goes off. The ground beneath us rumbles and then i'm thrown off my feet and into the air. I see the base explode and rubble flying into the air. I can't see the others. I hope they're ok.

I fall to the ground, a fair distance away, my head ringing. I hear faint shouting and I try to move but I can't. I'm too weak. I lie back and close my eyes, letting the darkness take me.

Xxx

Five

The funny thing about drowning is that it's supposed to be peaceful. A calm death. And I suppose compared to others, it is. But right now, as i'm frantically trying to reach the surface, weighed down by my Chest and my terror, I don't feel calm at all.

I try and kick out for the surface but I can't swim well enough to get anywhere. After I nearly drowned when I was younger, I've avoided the water at all times and refused to swim. I wish now that I hadn't.

My lungs are begging for air and some part of me screams to create an air bubble with my legacy. However, i'm too panicked and too scared to do so.

I'm scared, so so scared.

I give in to the temptation and breathe in. The water enters my lungs and as a reflex, I cough violently. In the process, I suck in more water and eventually, after a small fight with the water in my lungs, I find myself slowly drifting away. I try to kick for the surface one last time, but what's the point? I'm dying anyway.

I admire the deep blue water as my eyes begin to drift close. I hope the others can still fight without me. I hope Nine won't hate me for dying by drowning, instead of in battle. I hope...

Suddenly, something grabs my arm and I feel myself dragged up and away from my watery grave. The grip is strong and hurts me but I can't do anything against it. And why would I, if i'm being saved.

My head breaks the surface, I think, because i'm no longer completely surrounded by water. I'm not breathing and that scares me. Aren't I supposed to be dead? Or is Lorien keeping me alive?

I'm in a dreamlike state; only just aware of what's going on but I can hear people shouting. It hurts my head and I want them to stop. I find myself being dragged onto a shore and then somebody pounds on my chest and I want to push it away, but I can't move my arms. It's very uncomfortable. I feel someone tilt my head up and blow air into my mouth. My chest lifts automatically but I can't seem to rid the water from my lungs.

"Come on Five!" I hear someone shout. I think it's Nine. I hear Ella sobbing nearby and I want to comfort her. It's ok; death will happen to everyone someday. It's a natural process.

"Don't you dare leave me!" I hear Nine hiss in my ear. He continues to pound my chest and I briefly realise he's performing CPR on me. He's saving my life.

I need to wake up. I need to live.

For Nine.

Wearily, I pull myself away from the tempting darkness and return to my body. I gasp and then immediately roll over and start vomiting water. I feel someone slam my back, to rid the rest of the water from me. I can't breathe as the water escapes me but i'm alive. I'm not dead.

I greedily gasp for air once i'm done throwing up and I collapse back onto the ground, my body shaking. The world's spinning and I feel as weak as a baby. I see Nine hovering over me, a relieved smile on his face.

"There you are. Didn't think I'd let you go without a fight, did you?" he asks.

I can't reply; i'm too tired and my eyes drift close. I feel myself lifted up into a pair of strong arms and I curl up closer to Nine's chest, automatically seeking comfort and warmth. I'm awake for a small while as he carries me along but soon weariness overcomes me.

Everything goes black as I fall unconscious.

Xxx

I wake up in an old abandoned barn, filled with some old machinery in the corner. I'm wrapped in a couple of blankets and am deliciously warm. My clothes are now dry and I realise that my coat and shoes have been removed, to dry quicker. I see Ella curled up in a corner, fast asleep.

I sit up slowly and look around. Nine is lying next to me and his arms are flung out; one lies on my stomach. I think of the way he saved my life by pulling me out of the river and I gently brush his hair back, without thinking. His eyes snap open and he stares at me as I jump back in shock. Never figured he'd be a light sleeper but it seems he is.

"Oh good, you're awake" he says, sitting up. He reaches over and pulls a bag towards him. He rummages in it for a while and then pulls out a sandwich and a chocolate bar. My face lights up and my stomach rumbles. I never realised how hungry I actually am.

"Thank you!" I say cheerfully as I tear into the food. I haven't eaten in _ages._ I'm used to skipping meals but recently I've missed more than I should have. Nine watches with a smirk on his face and I wonder if I look like a mess. I hope I don't look _too_ bad.

"I went to a nearby village to get the food, if you're wondering. I carried you here too" he says, stretching back out again, his arms behind his head.

"Thank you...for everything" I say, seriously this time. He nods and looks away.

"It's all right. You would have done the same" he says. Then he turns back to me with a grin. "But seriously, you're scared of water?" he asks, joking. I know he's curious, but not trying to be mean. I shrug and chew on my sandwich.

"Deep water" I protest. He just lies there with an eyebrow raised and I sigh.

"When we were in Rio, Christina always wanted to teach me to swim but we never had the time and I didn't really care. But one day, a couple of friends my age were going to the beach and invited me. I didn't think it would be that hard so I went with them. Long story short, I nearly drowned" I explain. He laughs and shakes his head.

"So, the whole future of Lorien could have been threatened because of a couple of waves?" he asks. I nod and laugh with him. It sounds stupid just thinking about it.

"Christina was so angry. God, I had to do so much training as punishment; I even thought about running away" I say. He smiles and leans back again. We both go silent.

I suddenly realise looking at him now, that he is really good-looking. I find myself appreciating his looks and admiring his defined muscles from years of training. Once, I said girls would find him hot but not me. Right now, my mind is completely the opposite. He's absolutely gorgeous.

He is also a great person as well. He may act all tough but inside he's as kind as Marina. Inside, there's a genuine person who cares about more than killing mogs. I look away, a small blush on my cheeks. Why am I thinking like this?

I notice he's gone silent too and I read his mind. He's studying me, like I did for him. Before these feelings I had never cared whether I was attractive to any guy. But right now, i'm worried about my hair, my looks and whether he finds me pretty. I hope he does.

I'm shocked by my thoughts and I wish Christina were here to help me. I already know what the problem is though, i'm not that stupid. I don't need it spelled out by someone else. I really like Nine, in a romantic way, the way Marina likes Eight. And I have absolutely no experience about what to do.

"You ok?" I look at Nine, who has now sat up and looks at me concerned. I realise i'm biting my lip and I must look worried.

I nod slowly but he doesn't fall for it. I read his mind and see that he's suffering the same problem as me. I feel a leap of joy in me. He _does_ like me. But then I turn serious. What happened to us? We used to hate each other, now we're falling for one another. It's like a romance novel gone wrong.

It's also a hopeless situation. Because I can't be with him. I can't be with anyone; the mogs will use that person against me. It happened when Marina and Eight were captured. And I can't let that happen to me. I can't be weak.

I sense his internal conflict as well. He feels the same, especially since it happened to him before with a girl named Maddy. He knows more than anyone how dangerous, how _poisonous_ love is. It doesn't help, it destroys. It gets people killed.

And yet, as he leans forward towards me, I don't back away. I don't push him off and tell him to go away. I lean forward myself and our eyes lock. His eyes are deep brown, a beautiful colour that I easily get lost in. They're warm right now but hesitant, just how I feel. I close my eyes and our lips meet.

I've never kissed a guy before. I have no idea how it all works but when his lips move against mine, instinct takes over and I kiss back. It's a different feeling from one I've ever felt before, a pleasant one. I lift a hand and gently tangle it in his hair and he presses a hand against my back, pulling me closer. I don't want this kiss to stop; it's wonderful. I've never felt so happy before and I move even closer to him.

A sudden loud noise pulls us apart and I look away in shock. It's only the barn door, banging in the wind. I look at Nine, his lips redder than usual. He leans towards me again but I scramble up. He looks confused and reaches for me but I back away. I need to go, to establish distance. Because if I kiss him again, I'll lose myself in him.

"Five wait!" he calls out as I run for the door. He's stood up now and stares at me, confused and upset. I feel tears come to my eyes. _Love is a poison, love is a poison. _I repeat in my head. I need to keep a clear head, not fall into my emotions.

"I'm sorry" I choke out and then I turn invisible. I run out of the barn.

_Love is a poison._

Xxx

Eight

Aim. Shoot. Aim. Shoot.

I continue with this method, destroying the helicopters and the people inside them. I hear them scream with fear and pain, as the burning machine plummets to the ground. I'm like a madman, continuously killing. I have no control over my legacy; I just use it.

Aim. Shoot. Aim. Shoot.

I hear panicked shouting and I see Adam convulsing on the floor, Marina over him. There's a small part of me telling me that I did that to Adam. Instead of listening and feeling guilty, I continue to fire my legacy at the helicopters. I need to protect Marina. I can't let the mogs get her.

"Eight! Stop! Please!" I turn slightly and see Marina next to me now, sobbing. I'm so consumed with the battle, so consumed with my legacy that won't let me have control, that I don't comfort her. More bullets continue to fly towards us and I bat them away with telekinesis. They won't touch her, not while i'm here.

"Eight! Please!" she begs, tears streaming down her face. I ignore her. They're only two more helicopters left. I feel my strength sapping but I can take them both down. I aim my hands at them and see one hit by my white fire. I hear the screams of the pilots as the fire consumes the helicopter. One more left.

I pull the pilots out from the helicopter and snap their necks. No pity. They'd do the same to us. I use telekinesis to then control the helicopter and bring it to the roof. We can use it to get to the US. I switch it off and turn for my next victim.

Suddenly, a hand grabs my arm and shakes me. I act instinctively. I twist the person's arm and throw them to the ground. I pull a gun in front of me and aim it at the person. But then I freeze.

Marina stares up at me, shocked and scared.

Scared.

Of me.

Suddenly, realisation of what I've done here hits me. I drop the gun and stare around, shocked and horrified. I see the destruction around me; see the burned shells of helicopters that contain the bodies of the soldiers I've killed. My legacy made me a monster. I had been consumed with power and I had dealt out death and pain.

What have I done?

"Eight?" Marina asks hesitantly. She still looks scared and I fall to my knees, sobs wracking my body. I feel like a monster; killing all those innocents. The whole jungle surrounding the base is destroyed and Marina is scared of me. Oh god.

Marina crawls to me and wraps her arms around my body as I begin to sob into her shoulder. Reynolds had warned me that some legacies took our control away but I never expected this. I never could have imagined the amount of destruction I could do. Never before have I been so out of control; I always killed the mogs in moderation and very rarely killed the humans.

"Shhhh, it's ok" Marina whispers. I sob into her shoulder, clinging to her. At least I didn't hurt her. Then I could never forgive myself. She strokes my hair as I continue to cry. I realise that i'm not just crying over this, but over everything that's ever happened to me. Reynolds' death, Devdan's capture, being tortured... everything.

We kneel there for a while until Marina pulls back and lifts my face up. She's concerned but not angry or condemning. She doesn't hate me. She strokes my cheeks, wet from crying, and I feel myself relax. I try to speak but she shakes her head and smiles at me. She leans forward and kisses me very gently. Before I can kiss back, she pulls away and stands up.

"We need to go" she says. I nod and take her hand, letting her pull me up. I'm still shell-shocked by what I've done. I see Adam on the ground and my eyes widen in horror. Have I killed him as well?

"He's ok. I healed him" Marina says quickly, seeing my face. I teleport to him and lift him up. He's still unconscious but i'm just glad I can't see the damage I created. I teleport back to Marina and we walk towards the helicopter.

"I hope you can fly one of these" I say, trying to cheer up a bit. Self-hatred won't get us to the US. Marina smiles at me, probably relieved i'm talking.

"Yeah, because we learned how to fly helicopters at the convent" she says sarcastically.

I smile but still remain serious. I can't get the image of burning helicopters falling to the ground even though I need to forget it. This is a war. They would do the same to us if they could.

Yet, why don't I believe myself?

Xxx

"Ok, we'll be in New Mexico soon" I say to Marina. We're in the helicopter flying to the US. Fortunately, there was enough fuel to reach New Mexico of all places, ironically enough. Flying this thing wasn't too hard, although there were a couple of rough patches along the way. Unfortunately, we can't get to Canada but at least we're on the continent.

"You didn't do such a bad job after all" she teases, leaning back in her chair. She helped me fly of course; without her I wouldn't have been able to do everything.

"Hey! I'm a natural!" I retort. She laughs and looks back at Adam. He's woken up before but then fell back asleep. Apparently, he sleeps a lot.

"I should probably wake him up" she says, walking back to him.

Suddenly, the helicopter is knocked to the side as something crashes into us. Marina loses her balance and falls over, crying out in shock. Adam rolls off the bench and wakes up quickly whilst I jump up and try to see what has hit us.

"Government planes!" I shout at Marina, seeing them fly outside the window. She nods and tries to stand up when another crash hits the side and she falls over again. I know at once we're screwed in this helicopter. It's not fast enough and we don't have any more missiles to retaliate with.

I teleport to Marina and Adam and pull them both up. Missiles begin to attack the helicopter and punctures appear in the walls. I duck and pull them both down with me. A bullet races past my cheek, grazing it. I wince but almost immediately, Marina is healing my injury.

"We need to get off!" Adam shouts to me. I nod, thinking hard.

"We'll have to use telekinesis to stop our fall. They'll destroy parachutes if we use them!" I shout back. Marina nods and takes a deep breath. Adam looks pale with fear. We're only teenagers after all.

"Eight, do you think you can use your legacy?" Marina asks me seriously.

She's concerned about the effect it might have on me but I know I have to use it. If it means saving her then I'll do it. I'd do anything. I nod and she kisses me very quickly. I grin and aim my hands for a wall. I feel the familiar rushing in my body and a stream of fire hits the wall. It explodes and there's a decent hole left behind.

Once again i'm amazed by my legacy. If I use it for the right purposes it will be deadly. This must be my master legacy and i'm relieved to have finally developed it. I'll just have to hone it to perfection like my other legacies. I'm used to legacy practice so hopefully it'll come quickly.

Immediately, the planes begin to shoot through the hole but they miss us. So far. I grab Marina and Adam's hands and teleport them to the hole. We stand just outside of eyesight, preparing ourselves.

"Whatever you do, don't let go of my hand" I warn Adam. He nods and takes a deep breath.

"Actually, you know what? I'll teleport once I see somewhere suitable to land" I tell Marina. She nods and squeezes my hand. She's deathly pale and looks terrified.

"I don't like heights" she says weakly. She must have read my mind, sensing my concern. Despite the situation, I pull her close and kiss her forehead.

"I won't let anything happen to you, I promise" I say. She nods and clenches my hand, trying to be brave. I couldn't be any prouder of her.

"Ready?" I ask Adam. He nods, pale too. I take a deep breath and pull them to the hole.

We jump out of the helicopter.

* * *

Ok, so I hope you enjoyed the chapter, especially Five and Nine's first kiss :) unfortunately she didn't react quite how Nine would have liked...

So please please please review! The button's waiting for you...


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies...

Hi guys!

Wow, such an amazing response for my last chapter! Over 300 reviews! I can't thank you guys enough and I'm just so glad that you enjoy my story and take the time to review for me. I love every single comment and I'm just really really grateful.

**Chapter wise for the story, I was thinking up to 40ish for this story and then start a sequel of about the same number of chapters. Or do you want me to just continue posting chapters in this story? Would you guys even still want to read a sequel or will you be bored by then?**

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter...

* * *

Six

My eyes blink open and the light blinds me. I groan and raise a hand to my head, pressing it over my eyes. I take a while to adjust to the light but eventually I can focus enough to see. I'm lying down about 25 metres from the burning base. It's completely destroyed; a blackened shell with flames still ablaze inside.

I slowly sit up and small chips of rubble fall from my hair. I'm covered in ash and dust and I begin to cough after inhaling some. My head pounds but I can't feel any serious injuries and I don't see any blood. I think i'm ok.

I look around and see Two lying close to me. What an incredible development to have her on our side now. I would never have imagined it in my wildest dreams. But it's amazing; we've just become stronger. She's not a fierce fighter at all but she's determined and can handle a gun well. I'll make a warrior out of her yet. She's beginning to wake up now and I crawl over to her, helping her sit up.

"Where's John?" She whispers as she rubs her eyes. She has a small cut on her cheek but it's not serious enough to worry about.

Hearing John's name sets an intense fear in me and I look around for him, hoping he's ok. I see Sarah some distance away, unconscious but I need to find John first. He's more important. I'm about to get up and start ripping up the piles of rubble, when Two points to something. It's him; half-buried under a massive rock.

I race over to him and fall to my knees by him. He can't be dead, not after everything we've been through. However, when I get to him, his eyes are open and he grins at me. His face is weary but I can't see any indication of pain. Maybe he's all right.

"Can you help me move this?" he asks, exhausted. I nod and grab the rock that's trapping him. It's easy for me to pick up and throw away; desperation joining my natural strength. Underneath a small beam had protected his legs from being crushed. Relieved, I help him pull it away and then I throw my arms around him. He hugs me back and kisses my hair.

"I'm ok, i'm fine" he reassures me. I nod and pull away, refusing to show weakness. He smiles at me tenderly and strokes my cheek. Our eyes lock and I find myself being pulled into his deep blue ones. I blush and look away, embarrassed.

I see Two coming towards us, helping Sarah walk. It seems she's still alive and i'm disturbed to find a small part of myself annoyed about that. I need to be more tolerant. I help John stand up and we make our way over to the other two. We're all in a bad way and we need to escape as soon as we can. I spot a couple of cars and point them out to the others.

"Once we get a car, we can drive away" I explain. Two nods and Sarah reaches out for John. They hug each other and I look away, a lump in my throat.

We slowly make our way to the car, stumbling and tripping over the rumble. I admire my work; the whole base has been destroyed. All of the mogs and harmful drugs have been ruined and we'll have just helped our cause dramatically. I feel on top of the world.

We reach the car and I check it over, making sure there are no tracking devices. None. We're safe. I quickly hotwire the car which I learnt during my years on the run. It's essential to know how to survive on your own.

"Here you go" I turn and see Two hand me John's chest. Bless her, she must have been searching for it under the rubble when I was seeing to John. I smile at her gratefully and stow it in the boot.

"Ok, you guys ready?" I ask, looking at John and Sarah. They're in an embrace and her head is in the crook of his neck. Again I feel that flash of jealousy. Sarah nods and breaks their hug, coming to stand by me.

"Are you ok?" she asks gently. I nod and sigh, forcing a smile onto my face.

"Sure, come on we've gotta go" I say, turning to the car.

The next couple of incidents happen so slowly, yet so quickly that there's nothing I can do to stop them. I hear Two scream my name and I spin on my feet, desperate to see what's panicked her. I see a lone mog, injured and limping, emerge from the rubble. He aims a gun at me and shoots. It's too quick, too fast for me to do anything and I just stand there, waiting for death.

But it never comes. Someone saw the mog seconds before me and threw themselves in front of me just in time. They saved my life; saved me from inevitable death.

Sarah falls to the ground, blood seeping from the two bullet wounds in her chest. John screams and runs for her, catching her before she hits the ground. I stand there stunned, not really sure what just happened. The mog aims again but Two is ready, and shoots him immediately. He explodes into dust.

"Stay with me Sarah! You hear me! Don't leave me!" John is begging her, desperately pushing his hands against her chest, trying to hold in the blood. I drop to my knees next to them and assess the damage in Sarah's chest. It's fatal; I can see that at once. John could usually heal it but he's not strong enough. Two stands guard over us as John and I lean over the dying girl.

"I'm sorry... for everything" Sarah gasps out. I take her hand, realising now is not the time for blame. I still think she's at fault for the whole spy incident but I need to forgive her. To give her peace.

"It's ok... I forgive you... I was only angry because of my feelings for John" I tell her truthfully. She needs to know the truth but guessing by her face, she already knew. She nods her head and clasps my hand, looking me straight in the eyes.

"Take care of him... for me... look after him" she pleads, stumbling over her words. I nod and feel tears come to my eyes. She shouldn't have to die; she's too young to die. I only wanted her out of the picture. Not dead.

"Of course" I whisper. She smiles, more at peace already, and I feel slightly better.

She turns to John, whose tears are sliding down his cheeks. His body is wracking with sobs and his face is filled with grief.

"I'm sorry, for everything. I always loved you Sarah, no matter what" he says, his voice catching. Sarah lifts a hand up and caresses his cheek.

"I know. And I love you too... but you have to promise me-" she's cut off by a spasm and John holds her closer to him. She takes a deep breath and tries again.

"Promise me you'll move on... be happy for me... promise me" she whispers, all but spent. John nods and kisses her one last time.

"I promise" he says. She smiles, finally at peace and her eyes close. Her chest stops moving.

There's a small silence and then John begins crying again. He buries his head in her neck and moans her name. I want to comfort him but I can't. He needs his space. I continue to sit by Sarah, watching the blood drip down her chest and I feel myself crying.

She died in a foreign country, away from her family and friends and all things familiar. She was alienated by us because of her betrayal and hated herself on top of that. The true sadness of her life story fills me and my breath catches. At the end, she was as lonely as I had been when I was on the run.

I stand up and turn away from John and Sarah, anger filling me. The mogs will pay for this; I'll make them suffer. Another person they've taken from us, another unnecessary death.

They will regret this moment.

Xxx

Nine

I'm in a bad mood.

A long day in a car with a girl who you love secretly is bad enough. But when you kiss said girl and she runs away, it tends to make you feel even worse. I didn't think my kissing was that bad.

Five is curled up in the back, asleep on the seat. Or maybe she's pretending just to avoid me, but that's fine with me. I don't want to talk about it either. Ella is next to me, practising her telekinesis again. I'm proud of her determination to practice; it'll make her a stronger warrior.

We'll reach St Petersburg later today after only eight hours in the car but i'm glad. I'm sick of car journeys. When we get there, we'll follow the directions from Five and will find this artefact thing that is so 'important'. Personally, I just think we should get back to the US.

Ok, I'm just angry with her so I'm going to disagree with everything she says.

I hear Five sigh a little and I see a lock of hair fall onto her cheek. Why does she always look so good? Maybe i'm biased, but I think she's beautiful. It's not the usual delicate type of beautiful like Marina or Six but a more exotic, more interesting kind. I can't keep my eyes off her. However, that really does not help me with my inner conflict. In fact, it just makes it harder to resist her.

I know that I love her and she is almost in the same place but I can't be with her. After Maddy betrayed me, I just can't be with someone. Maybe it's cowardly, but I think that love is weak and gets people killed. And Five agrees with me, that's why she ran away.

She could have at least kissed me a bit more before all the denial though.

I sigh and groan at the sight of traffic. We're just outside St Petersburg and I guess traffic is inevitable. Ella smiles and stops her telekinesis; it won't be good if she's seen by others.

"Hey Five?" I ask loudly. She jumps up immediately and reaches for her dagger. I laugh and roll my eyes. Seriously? She can't be that on edge.

"Oh it's just you" she says, leaning back into the seat. I grin. Despite being humiliated from the other day, she can still put me in a good mood.

"Where's this church place?" I ask. She sighs and runs a hand through her hair, looking weary. We all need a good sleep.

"Um, last I remember it was around the outside of the city... I think" she says. I sigh at the vague instructions but take a smaller road; glad to be avoiding the main traffic.

"Is that it?" I ask. She looks worried and shakes her head.

"Um, there was a street name but I've forgotten it... wait, I will remember it" she says, panicking under the pressure. I swear as I aimlessly drive around small streets. I stop the car and get outside, really angry.

How could she be so stupid?! Leading us on a wild chase for an artefact that she didn't remember where it was hidden. This was all a waste; we should have gone back to America! I bet the others will be there now! I kick the snow angrily and start to stalk away, my anger over everything that's happened recently taking control of me. I know I'm being irrational but I can't help it.

"Wait, Nine!" I hear Five call. I stop despite myself and turn to face her. She looks upset and a little shy.

"I'm sorry. I think I have an idea of where it is now. I looked up on a couple of maps. There's a church near the centre that we need to go to" she says. I nod, secretly relieved but I don't want to show her just yet.

"It was still stupid!" I mutter as I push past her. She grabs my arm and I stiffen, pulling it roughly away from her.

"I'm sorry" she whispers again, but this one is for more than today. It's for hurting my feelings about our kiss. I sigh but stop walking.

"I don't know what you're talking about" I say coldly. I see Ella in the car watching curiously but right now I don't care. This moment is just for Five and I.

"I shouldn't have run yesterday" she says, wrapping her arms around herself. She only does that when she's really upset. I sigh and my gaze softens ever so slightly.

"No, you shouldn't have" I say bluntly. She nods and looks away.

"It was wrong of me... but you know how I feel about you" she says. I feel a leap in my heart at this small admission of feelings for me but I squash it.

"But you don't want to love me, despite doing so" I say. She sighs again and nods very slowly. I feel as though I've been punched and I turn away quickly before she can see the tears in my eyes.

"Then you can keep your apologies; I don't want them" I say as I march back to the car.

Xxx

We've finally reached the goddamn church and I really hope this artefact or whatever is worth it. Five seems to think so but then again I think she's trying to appease me. She's trailing Ella and I, her face tight with misery and guilt. I feel bad but I don't cave in and apologise.

We enter the church and it looks like any other Catholic church to me. The alter, the organ and the worshippers. I walk over and sit in a pew. I know Five will be looking for the artefact since she can turn invisible. Ella sits next to me.

"What's up with you and Five?" she asks, clasping my hand. I shrug and pretend to be interested in the stained glass windows.

"No idea" I reply. Ella rolls her eyes and looks at me, eyebrow raised. She's starting to act like me. I'm so proud.

"What? It's nothing, really" I protest. She sighs but nods, looking away. I lean back, closing my eyes.

I have this horrible feeling that i'm being watched, that someone is looking at me. I turn around and look at the back of the church but I can't see anyone. Maybe i'm going mad. I study it for a while longer but I can't see anything move. I shake my head and turn around again, ignoring Ella's confused eyes.

We stay there for another half hour until Ella tells me that Five has found it. I find myself excited about what this thing could be, despite wanting to go back to America. I wonder what it can do. I stand up and stretch, still with that horrid feeling of being watched. I see Five at the end of the church; she must have appeared when no one was looking. It can't have been risky otherwise she wouldn't have done it.

"She says she'll be out in a minute" Ella communicates. I watch in shock as Five sits in a pew and closes her eyes. Never would take her for a religious type; I thought that was Marina, who had grown up in a convent.

I shrug and walk outside, trailed by Ella. I look around, wondering if anyone is spying on us but yet again I can't see anyone. I notice Ella is also looking around; she must be on edge too. I reach for my staff in my pocket. I have to be careful.

"Tell Five we need to go" I begin to say, when I hear screams and see the worshipers running from the church.

"Five" I mutter and run back to the church. I hear shouting and the sound of a gunshot. I increase my pace and run inside, desperate to help her. No matter what, we're a team. Our feelings aren't important in that.

"Five!" I shout running back in, when I stand still, shocked at the sight in front of me.

Five is pointing a sword at a muscled guy with a moustache whilst he aims a gun at her. There's another man there too, dressed in an expensive Italian suit. My mouth goes dry. I know that person, I would know him anywhere. My heart rate speeds up and I feel tears in my eyes. I can just imagine how that beard has been trimmed and his hair gelled back perfectly.

I step forward, hardly believing my eyes.

"Sandor?" I ask.

My Cepan turns around and smiles at me.

Xxx

Marina

It's funny, after Dulce I never imagined I'd ever go back to New Mexico. I'm sure the people are lovely and the place is amazing, but after Eight and Ella almost dying, the place just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Yet, here we are, in New Mexico once more.

We're driving along the road, heading to the airport. After a huge amount of arguing, Adam and I finally convinced Eight into going to Toronto. I think me threatening to end things between us was a real factor in his decision, although he was still unhappy about everything.

I think back to when we were falling through the air, screaming as we plummeted to the earth. Fortunately, Eight had kept his cool and had managed to teleport us to a safe spot. The planes had been confused by our sudden disappearance and we had hidden in a thicket of trees, whilst they flew above us, searching for us. They eventually left much to our great relief and we had continued our journey.

We had soon come to a small town and stolen a van in the night. We had driven off before anyone noticed it was gone. We've now been gone a couple of hours and will reach the airport soon. We have enough money in our chests to pay for a flight to Toronto and then we look for a base and save Number Three.

So, pretty simple then.

Adam's in the front driving whilst Eight and I are in the back of the van. A bit of privacy at last. Adam's a nice guy, but I'd like to spend a bit of time with Eight alone. Unfortunately, his angry mood is really ruining it.

"Ok, just spill. Why are you angry?" I say, kneeling in front of Eight. He sighs and looks away, though there's nothing really interesting to look at back here.

"I'm not angry" he says. I snort and roll my eyes.

"Ok, just say that again but sounding convinced this time" I argue. He sighs again and looks up at me.

"Since when did you get so annoying?" he asks, joking. I grin back.

"Since my boyfriend started turning sulky" I retort. He grins, his bad mood evaporating quickly. That's one of the things I love about him; he never stays angry for long.

"I'm just worried. I don't really want to go into something that could kill us. And I don't have great memories of bases" he says. I nod and take his hand.

"We'll be fine. You've developed your master legacy and you're a great fighter anyway" I say. He smiles and shrugs, reassured. I'm sure he's still worried but like me, he doesn't want to waste this private time together with a strop.

"Thanks. And you're not too bad yourself" I smile back at him and then lie down, my head in his lap. He starts playing with my hair and I close my eyes. After a while, he hums something very quietly under his breath.

"What's that?" I ask him, keeping my eyes closed. He shifts so that he's lying down next to me and I put my head on his chest, whilst his arm wraps around my waist. I sigh in contentment.

"A Loric lullaby. My mother used to hum it to me when I was on Lorien and when I came here, Reynolds used to do the same" he explains.

"It's nice" I say. He smiles and continues to play with my hair. There's another silence for a while.

"What about your Cepan? Did she sing you any songs?" he asks innocently. He has a brief idea of what my Cepan was like; but not to the extent Six and Ella do.

I sit up and wrap my arms around my knees, saddened by the thought of Adelina. I wish she could have been like the others; always there for me and training me for the war. Instead, she prayed to a God that's not real.

"No, she never sung me anything" I say, my voice small. He moves so he sits opposite me and he looks at me concerned. I suppose I should tell him the truth but I can't bring myself too. It's too painful.

"Did you have an argument before she died?" he asks, trying to find out the problem. I laugh sadly.

"We argued my whole life" I say cryptically. He still looks confused and I sigh, knowing I need to explain. He needs to know the truth and besides he told me everything about his Cepan.

"She didn't believe in Lorien anymore. After years in the convent, she began to believe in God instead. She hid my chest from me and didn't train me at all. I only got my pendant a couple of hours before she died" I say, bitterness clear in my voice. It still makes me angry to think of how useful I could be to the Garde if I had been taught.

Eight takes my hand and pulls me to him in a hug. "I'm sorry. I had no idea" he says. I shrug and lean into him.

"It's ok. My legacies weren't like yours or the others. They were easier to hide" I say. He sighs and shakes his head.

"You need to stop thinking that you're useless. You're not. I bet most of us would be dead if it weren't for you. I definitely would be" he says. I smile at him.

"Then you need to stop being so stupid and stop getting into situations where you almost die" I say, elbowing him. He grins and raises his eyebrow.

"Says the girl who persuaded me to go to this base" he says. I grin and lean forward to protest.

"This isn't stupid; it's necessary" I argue. He laughs and opens his mouth to object.

I cut his protests off with a kiss.

Xxx

"Can you sense anything?" Eight's low voice in my ear snaps me out of my day dream. He smiles slightly when he sees my shocked expression and tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. I flush slightly, still not used to everything between us and his smile widens at my reaction.

I focus on what he asked and then I concentrate and lower the walls in my mind. I grimace at the invasion of all the minds but I gradually sift through them, to see if any are threatening. It takes me a couple of minutes since we're at the airport in Toronto and there are hundreds are people here. However, I don't sense anything menacing and I shake my head at Eight.

"Oh good. I don't want to have to fight all the time" he says. I smile and look out the window, nodding. The plane is just stopping and then we can leave. Having mind control's a great bonus; we could board the plane safe in the knowledge there weren't any mogs around. And now we can leave with the same security.

Adam is sat by the aisle and is flicking through a newspaper article. Apparently, nothing interesting has come up on the news yet so we still don't have a clue where the others are. If there's something in our chests to help us, Eight and I haven't been told about it by our Cepans so we can't check there either.

Eight takes my hand and absently traces the back of it. He always does this when he's worried; it's his nervous habit. It's weird to think I've only known him for about a month and a half yet he's the most important person in my life, besides Ella of course. But then at least I have someone like that; I know Five and Nine don't feel that way.

The seatbelt sign disappears and I gladly undo mine, looking forward to leaving. Whilst flying doesn't freak me out as much as it used to, i'm still not a huge fan. It's just the thought of being in a huge machine thousands of feet from the ground with nothing between us. I just don't like it.

We finally manage to get off the plane after a lot of pushing and shoving; it seems i'm not the only one who doesn't like flying. I stretch easily once we get out and I see Adam grin.

"I really hate cramped spaces" he complains. Eight raises his eyebrow.

"Try being my height" he says. It's true. Whilst Eight isn't the sort of tall that borders on abnormal, he is still tall. Pair that with the person in front leaning their seat down and he was stuck in an uncomfortable position all day. I felt sorry for him but I didn't want to mess with the person's mind to get them to move back. I don't feel comfortable doing that to innocent humans.

I roll my eyes. "We're not going to hear the end of that" I mutter. He shrugs and grins at me.

We exit the airport and stare at the car park. There are hundreds of cars which will make stealing one slightly easier but the problem is there are a lot of people around. I sigh and begin to scan the cars when one pulls up in front of us, the window pulled down.

Immediately, my guard goes up and I step back. I see Adam and Eight tense as well waiting for an attack. We've been on the run far too long to just trust situations like this.

But this person isn't ordinary at all. When she leans out of the window, I gasp and am pretty sure I've gone as pale as a ghost. Eight says my name, worried, but I can't answer him. I can only stare at her.

"Hi Marina" Adelina says sheepishly.

* * *

So, Sarah is now dead. I hope a lot of you guys are happy about that :D

Also, I know some of you didn't want the Cepan back because the Garde won't be as mature, but I promise they will have more authority and will be the ones in control. After reading the Last Days of Lorien I fell in love with Sandor again and _had_ to include him.

I hope you still like my story and please please please review!


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies...

Hi guys!

Once a guy, an amazing response to my last chapter! I was thrilled when I received all of the reviews and wow, what else can I say? Just a massive thanks and I hope you guys continue to enjoy this story.

Secondly, I'm sorry but my updates for my other story 'It's the Little things that count' will be less frequent than for this story but I will try to update tomorrow. It will be a Four/Six scene so I really hope you enjoy it.

**Anyway, i still need more opinions on whether I should continue posting chapters on this story or start a sequel of about 40 chapters (which will be the equivalent of this story).**

So, read on and please enjoy...

* * *

John

I stand in the empty field, the rain pouring down from the sky and soaking me. I don't push the dripping hair out of my eyes though; it doesn't bother me right now. Six stands solemnly next to me, her head bowed and her hands clasped.

Sarah's body lies in front of us, protected from the rain by Six's legacy. Despite being dead, she still looks so beautiful to me. I only appreciate what I had until she's gone. The grief and overwhelming guilt in me is too much to bear but I have no choice. I feel the tears slip down my face, disguised by the rain. I feel hollow inside; similar to how I felt when Henri died. Another person I love, taken from me by the mogs.

Two stands on my other side. We haven't had a chance to clean up since the battle and her hair and clothes are covered in dirt. She smiles sadly at me but I can't return it. The grief won't let me feel any ounce of happiness. Above the sorrow hangs guilt. Sarah's death is my fault; I should have saved her. I was too weak.

"I didn't know Sarah for long, but what I knew of her was that she was kind and fierce. She fought for John, who she loved, and died saving Six. I hope she rests in peace" Two says solemnly.

It's nice of her to say something, to participate in Sarah's funeral. If we had been back in Paradise, there wouldn't have been a shortage of mourners who would praise Sarah's life. Instead, here, there are only three teenagers grieving a forgotten girl. It's heartbreaking but it's better than nothing.

"Sarah and I never got on well. After the incident a couple of weeks ago I couldn't stand her, yet she always tried to make amends, always tried to be a better person. I couldn't fault her for that. But from what I've seen of the true Sarah, the one lost by this war, is that she was kind and caring. She saved my life and I can never thank her enough for that. I hope she is in more peace now than she was in her last couple of months" Six says.

It's my turn now and I take a deep breath. Where do I start? How can I give her enough justice that she deserves?

"Sarah was-" my voice breaks slightly and I swallow. Six catches my hand and I clutch it tightly, ignoring the pang of guilt in me. I try again.

"Sarah was the kindest, sweetest, funniest and most intelligent girl I'd ever met when I first went to Paradise. She was kind to everyone and everyone loved her in return. I was, am, one of them. There was never a better person in the world; even when I told her the truth about me she still loved me" I say.

"However, even she was not strong enough against the mogs. These last couple of months, she's not been the Sarah that everyone can't help but love. I wish that everyone had seen the same girl I had; known her the way I did. But now she's lying here dead because of a failed promise by me and no one will know the true Sarah Hart" I say choking slightly.

I see Six want to protest at my announcement of blame but I continue. I need to finish. "This world will be a darker place without her and I hope that she gains as much peace that she gave me when it was just us two. I'll never forget her and I will always love her" I finish, a sob escaping my throat at the end.

Six sighs sadly as I focus my Lumen on Sarah. I hate to do this but I know it's the only way. No one can find her body and I want her to be free. She soon goes up in flames and I watch the fire, until there's nothing else but a pile of ash. All that is left of a brilliant person.

Six waves her hands slightly and the wind picks up, the ashes scattering in the wind. Now she can be free. I wish I could join her but I know I have to continue this war. To gain revenge for her death and her family's. I will make the mogs pay.

We slowly turn to walk back to the car. We've decided to head to the airport and will take the first flight to the US, but first we'll spend a night in a hotel. We need to rest and clean up. Six and Two walk on ahead, talking in hushed tones. I don't hurry to join them.

I turn around one last time and look at Sarah's last resting place. I hope that now she can finally rest and be at peace.

Xxx

"So what happened after you died?" Six asks, staring at Two. She's cleaned up since the battle and her hair glows in its lovely colour. She has a delicate face with freckles scattered across. She's similar to Ella with the same red hair and petite stature, yet the latter looks more determined, stronger. Two looks sweeter and more trusting, which we could use to our advantage.

"After I was stabbed with the knife, everything went black. I wasn't aware of anything; I didn't exist. But then a few months ago, I woke up. Well I wasn't awake; I was in this white space. There was another boy there who was a couple of years older than me. We couldn't talk to each other and we just waited" she explains.

"Sounds creepy" I say. She sighs and nods.

"It wasn't pleasant; I thought I might be in Limbo" she replies. I shudder at being stuck in this place, knowing you're dead.

"But then things started changing. I realise now, that my soul had been called back by Lorien and was being stored, waiting for my body to be healed. Anyway, when you saved me, I felt myself being pulled away from the room. I woke up in the base, confused and scared" she explains.

I nod but frown. This discussion makes a change from thinking about Sarah. I welcome it gladly.

"So, Lorien managed to save you" I conclude. She nods and smiles.

"It's waking up. That's the only way I was able to come back. The fight is really beginning now, now that we have the planet on our side. It wants revenge as well" she says.

Six grins and stretches her arms out. Her hair is clean and back to her original colour. I'm glad; she suits black rather than blonde.

"Well that's good. I wonder who that other boy was though" she muses.

"I think it was Three. It's the only thing that makes sense" I reply.

Six nods and smiles, but she avoids my eyes. She's unsure of where things go between us now that Sarah is dead. I love Six and hope to be with her, but my feelings for Sarah and her death are holding me back right now. Hopefully, Six will understand and may wait for me to cope.

"I wonder why our scars haven't disappeared" I muse, trying to block out my feelings. They hurt too much for me to deal with.

"Probably because Two and Three_ did_ die; they just came back to life again" Six says, flicking through a magazine. I nod and pull my chest to me, wanting to have a look through. I open the lid and automatically look for Henri's can of ashes for comfort when I freeze.

They're not there.

I frantically dig through my chest, my breath held, desperately hoping that they're just buried at the bottom. Nothing. They're not here at all.

"Six... Henri's ashes" I gasp out, my chest heaving and tears building up in my eyes. Six shoots up when she sees my state and joins me.

"John, calm down. What's going on?" she says, trying to take control. I point to the chest.

"Henri's ashes... they're not there. They're not there!" I cry, the tears beginning to pour down my cheeks. I must have left him somewhere.

He's gone forever.

Six pulls me to her and I bury my face into her shoulders, needing her comfort more than ever. I sob into her as she strokes my hair. Everything that's happened recently overwhelms me and I cling to her, my tears soaking her shirt. I'm in so much pain, so strained over everything.

I do the only thing I can and cry.

Xxx

Ella

Papa is alive!

He's standing there as healthy and strong as he always was, despite Five holding a sword to his throat. I feel a lump in my throat and I long to talk to him, but I need to convince Five not to kill him first. The other man, I think he was called Sandor by Nine, is smiling at him. I try to move forward but Five blocks my way.

"Um, what the hell?" she demands. I smile up at her, tears in my eyes.

"It's Crayton! My Cepan!" I say. I want more than anything to run up to him and hug him but Five still looks suspicious.

"We're on your side; we're not a trick" Sandor says.

At his voice, Five whirls around and holds the sword to his neck. At least the threat's gone from Papa. Sandor grimly smiles and holds up his hands, a sign of peace. Nine jumps forward but Five shoots him a glare filled with compulsion.

"Stay back!" she warns. Nine stops where he is, a stunned look on his face. I forgot how effective her compulsion can be and guessing by Nine's face, so did he.

"Five, please" I beg her. She can't kill Papa; I'll never forgive her. I feel Crayton's gaze on me and I want nothing more than to be with him but I have to stop Five first. She stares back at me, her gaze unfathomable. She sighs and relaxes very slightly, but she doesn't drop the sword.

"Explain" she says to the two men. I see Sandor grimace as the blade nicks his neck and Nine stiffens. No matter his different feelings for Five, she is hurting his Cepan and she needs to control herself.

"Careful Five" he warns, his voice deep and slightly menacing. She doesn't look his way, but she moves the sword away from Sandor's neck ever so slightly.

Crayton steps forward and our eyes meet. I know he wants to greet me as well but he has to talk to Five first; get her to understand this isn't a trick.

"We were sent back from Lorien because you needed help. You can't fight this war without us" he says. Five still stares at him, her jaw locked.

"Oh come on Five! Don't be difficult, use your legacy" Nine groans.

"So Lorien magically bought you back to life?" she says sarcastically and completely ignoring Nine. Crayton sighs.

"It's waking up Five. It's so much more powerful than you give it credit for. How else would your legacies and chests still work? How else would Pittacus ever be able to come back? You need to believe in your planet because its power is ten times greater than you'd ever believe" he argues. There's a tense silence but she eventually scowls and lowers her sword.

"Fine, I believe you" she mutters.

Immediately, I dodge around Five and throw myself at Crayton. He catches me and laughs as we hug tightly. I bury my head into his chest and inhale his scent. My Papa's alive! He came back to me, to help me! I realise i'm sobbing as he strokes my hair and whispers stuff in my ear. It's Loric so I don't know what he's saying but it's relaxing. It reminds me of my upbringing, when it was just the two of us.

I eventually pull back and he also has tears in his eyes, like me. He kisses my forehead and smiles at me, tucking my hair behind my ears.

"You've grown!" he says, proud. I grin at him, excited by my news that I have to tell him.

"And I've developed telekinesis! And telepathy!" I exclaim. His face glows with pride and he hugs me quickly again. We stand up, holding hands. I don't think I'll ever let it go.

I see Nine talking to his Cepan, Sandor. Nine is smiling without that tight look on his face for once and he looks as though a weight's been lifted off his shoulders. He looks perfectly happy for the first time since I've ever seen him. I'm glad to see him like this; I hated seeing him sad.

Five is leaning against a pew, cleaning a dagger. She's trying to remain calm on the outside but I can see she's hurting. Where's her Cepan? Is she still dead? She looks up and smiles at me, but I see the pain in her eyes. She's good but not that good at hiding emotions to people who know her. However, to the others she'll look emotionless and detached.

"So, how many returned?" she asks. Her voice doesn't waver once even though she must be feeling great pain that her Cepan isn't alive. It must be a horrible feeling, to see us greet our guardians yet she won't ever see hers again.

"Four, I think. The ones who died recently have all returned. The ones who died before... they were long gone. Even Lorien couldn't save them all. It's only begun waking up recently, past two years give or take. And it took enough energy to save us" Crayton explains. Five nods and I see Nine sigh at her expression. Looks like the nicer Five I've been getting to know recently has gone; she's the scary Five now, the one that intimidates me.

"How long have you guys been back?" Nine asks, his voice a little tight with suppressed emotion. But it's a good emotion he's experiencing, for once.

"A couple of days or so. I'm not sure. We woke up in the middle of a forest and eventually managed to get out. After that, Sandor and I just instinctively knew to come to Russia whilst the others went elsewhere" Crayton finishes.

"Well, we need to go" Sandor says. He's intimidating looking; muscular body dressed in an Italian suit. He has a gun strapped to his belt and I guess by the hard look in his eyes, he knows how to use one.

"Sounds good to me; you guys were taking forever" Five complains, standing up straight. Nine rolls his eyes and she shoots a glare back at him. Nothing changes there.

"Right, well, i'm Five" she says, holding her hand out to Papa. He shakes it, smiling.

"I remember you from the ship. I also knew your parents. I can tell you about them if you want" he said. He means well and if it were one of the other Garde, they would beg him for more information. But Five's face closes off and she shrugs.

"Don't worry about it. They're dead. I don't need to know about them" she says. Sandor's eyebrows shoot up but he doesn't say anything. They've got to get used to Five; she can be different.

"I'll go check on the car" she says, slipping out of the room. Nine sighs and rubs his face when she's gone.

"Don't worry about her, emotions are kind of a new concept for her" he explains to the two men. They nod seriously, but I see a cheerful glint in Crayton's eyes. Nothing can make him sad now that we've been reunited.

"She's not the only one" I mutter without thinking. Nine blushes slightly, knowing immediately i'm talking about his new feelings for Five, and Sandor's eyebrows rise in curiosity. I bet he's desperate to know what's made Nine uncomfortable.

"So, my young ward, what's happened since I've been gone?" he asks, smiling proudly at Nine, who groans.

"Really? You're still gonna call me that?" he asks. Sandor shrugs and is about to reply when Five reappears.

"You coming?" she asks, clearly trying not to sound too bitter.

"You gonna be miserable all day?" Nine snaps back. I groan.

"Guys! Not again" I complain. Crayton grins and squeezes my hand. I think i'm not the shy little Ella he used to know; i'm more confident in myself now.

"Sorry" Nine mutters, stuffing his hands in his pockets. I see Sandor roll his eyes.

"The car is ready so let's go" Five says. I follow her out and try to catch up to her.

"Are you ok?" I ask as we exit the church. The cold hits me at once and I wrap my coat around me tighter. Five smiles gently and I feel the temperature around us warm slightly from her legacy.

"You know i'm not" she replies, looking away. I want to take her hand but I know she wants to be strong in front of Nine.

"I'm sorry" I say. She looks at me and shakes her head.

"Don't be. I dealt with it before, I can do it again" she says grimly.

This time it's my turn to shake my head. "You don't have to. We're all here for you, you can trust us" I protest. We've come to a stop and the others begin to catch up. They're talking amongst themselves so our conversation is semi-private.

She shakes her head sadly and smiles a pitying smile. "Then you clearly don't know much about life, Ella. If there's one thing I learnt when I was by myself is that you can't trust anyone" she says.

I stand there watching her back, as she walks away again. Nine joins me and looks down at me, curious.

"What was that about?" he asks. I sigh and turn away.

"Nothing" I reply.

We've reached the car by now and Five is frowning, circling it. Sandor immediately notices something is wrong with it as well and joins her.

"What's wrong?" Crayton asks, his voice tense. He doesn't know as much about technology as Sandor but he can tell something's wrong.

"That shouldn't be like that" Sandor points something out to Nine, who must know enough to frown even more than before.

"That must mean..." Nine trails off and then pales suddenly. Sandor takes a step back quickly.

"Run!" he yells and then the car explodes.

Xxx

Eight

Marina stands there staring at this strange woman, a look of shock and anger on her face. The two of them just continue to look at one another and I grow more and more worried with each second. What's going on?

"Marina?" I ask again, shaking her arm. She finally breaks eye contact and looks at me, pale and slightly haunted. I think I know who this is by now; her Cepan, Adelina. No one else would cause such a strong reaction with Marina.

I'm tempted to think it's all a trick by the mogs but the thing is that this must be Adelina, alive and well for some reason. It can't be a trick otherwise Marina would have known immediately. She would have read the trickery in Adelina's mind.

"Marina please, we need to get out of here. Let me explain in the car" Adelina pleads. I feel a deep anger in me. This woman abandoned Marina when she needed her most! Why should she be allowed to even talk to her?!

"Um, I know this is like a private moment here but we do need to go" Adam interjects. I agree we need to go, but if Marina doesn't want to go with Adelina, then I'll stand by her.

"Do you think i'm stupid?! Do you think i'm just going to get into a car with you?! You're supposed to be dead!" Marina hisses at Adelina. I've only experienced Marina's anger once and it was pretty scary. It's a good thing she's gentle most of the time, otherwise I'd be terrified of her.

"Marina, please. I'm alive, Lorien returned me to do my job again. There are other Cepan alive too. You can trust me; I've been returned to fight in the war" Adelina begs.

I snort and she looks at me for the first time. Her gaze is soft when she sees me, as though she recognises me. Which she probably does.

"Eight?" she asks, softly. Like Marina, she has a soft Spanish accent and dark brown hair. But that's where the similarities end. One is good and strong and kind; the other abandoned her own kind for a lie.

It's incredible really that the Cepan have been returned to us. We need them in this war, every time we don't know something we should just shows how much we need them. But Adelina was not at the top of my list of the necessary Cepan. In fact, she wouldn't even feature on it.

"Give Marina one good reason she should ever trust you again" I say, taking Marina's hand to offer support. She smiles ever so slightly but it soon disappears again.

"Becuase whether you like it or not, you need to leave and i'm your best option" Adelina replies. Marina sighs but then shrugs.

"Fine" she snaps. She gets in at the back and I join her. Poor Adam sits awkwardly next to Adelina in the front as she drives away from the airport.

There's a tense silence in the car. Adelina obviously wants to make contact but Marina doesn't want to talk to her. I know Marina well enough by now to know that she's delighted that Adelina's alive but seeing her will bring back all the memories of her Cepan leaving her. It's got to be tough.

I suddenly remember what Adelina said earlier about other Cepan being returned to Earth to help the cause and hope leaps into my heart. Maybe Reynolds has returned! The sudden fierce longing I feel to see him fills me and I feel anticipation all over. I can't wait to see him.

"Is Reynolds... is he alive again?" I ask, desperate to hear the answer. I don't want to talk to Adelina but I have to know.

She slowly shakes her head and my heart feels as though it's been crushed. How is this fair? Adelina can return but Reynolds can't?! I feel tears in my eyes and I turn away, to avoid her pitying glance. Marina clutches my hand but even that doesn't reassure me. Reynolds will never return to me. The heartbreak I feel right now is unexplainable. It's torture.

"Only the ones who died recently have returned" she whispers softly. Why is that? If Lorien were so powerful, couldn't it return every Cepan, regardless of when they died? I know i'm being spiteful but I have a sudden hatred for Lorien. Where's the justice in returning someone like Adelina but letting someone like Reynolds stay dead?

"Five and Six won't see their Cepan either" Adam says sadly. At least I won't be the only one, but that thought brings me little comfort.

I look out the window, ignoring everyone else, the grief in me too much to bear.

Xxx

"Ok, so the plan is to just attack without a plan?" Adam asks frowning. I smile, grimly, realising how stupid it sounds.

We're crouched outside the base in Canada, a day after our arrival. After an _incredibly_ tense night with Adelina in a small motel, we found the base and are about to attack. Adelina has stayed behind with the chests and I see Marina is relieved to be without her Cepan.

"Pretty much" Marina replies. She's nervous about this fight but still ready to do her share. She grins at me and before I can control myself, I lean down and kiss her, getting lost in it. You never know what could happen to either of us.

"Oh guys, please! Keep that for later!" Adam complains, covering his eyes. Marina pulls away and laughs quietly, whilst I grin in amusement.

"Right, now you guys are done, let's go!" Adam says, rubbing his hands together.

I take a deep breath and then charge for the base, the others next to me.

Xxx

I slice through another mog, delighting in the explosion of ash that soon follows. I aim my hands at another group of mogs and grin when my fire makes them disintegrate. I have a better control over it now and it's a deadly weapon. Another mog lunges for me, but I deal it a roundhouse kick and its' head is crushed. More ash covers me.

We're successfully destroying the base, though as of yet, we haven't seen any sign of Number Three. Marina insists he's here but if we don't find him soon then I suggest we call it a day and blow up the base. Better to still have Adam and two Garde members than lose us all in an attempt to find another.

I turn and punch a mog in the ribs, cracking them instantly. The mog bends over, gasping for breath, and I stab it in the back with my sword. I don't enjoy killing most of the time but it's necessary and has to be done.

I see Marina using telekinesis to fling bullets back at more mogs when one creeps up on her. I'm about to teleport over, to show this guy not to mess with my girlfriend, when she turns around and casually snaps its' neck with telekinesis. She smiles at me and despite the situation, my heart lifts. I grin back and then turn back to the destruction.

After we've killed the whole roomful of mogs, we race down another corridor. We have no idea where we are now and I don't see any mogs around to get the information from. I'm about to stop and tell the others we need to leave, when Marina grins at me.

"It's down here!" she says, excited. She points to a door all the way down the corridor and I teleport us there; it's quicker than running. Adam stumbles slightly when we land but he grins at me. I kick the door down, seeing as it's barred.

Immediately, mogs begin to attack us. I was right; they were planning to get us here but they had hoped we'd be stopped before now. They're panicked and I use that to my advantage as I plough through the mogs, feeling no pity.

"Don't destroy everything" Marina warns me as I aim my hands at the group of mogs. I grin at her innocently and she rolls her eyes.

I deliver my legacy in a devastating blow against the mogs. They're pretty much all wiped out by my one blast and the ones that aren't, are soon killed by me. I'm about to turn around and join the others when I feel a hand grab my neck and squeeze the air from me. I grab the arms and try to flip the mog over but it then disintegrates in my hands. Adam stands there a knife in his hands.

"You're welcome" he says, to my nod of thanks. Marina comes over and heals my crushed neck, her fingers cool against my skin. I feel a  
small shiver at her touch and shake it off. Really not the time.

I stand up and look around. There's a bunch of machines but definitely no Three. There's a small panel on the wall and that's it. I groan and shake my head. We were tricked again!

"How do we work this?" Marina asks Adam, going over to the panel. I go to the main door and bar it, not wanting an unexpected attack. I'm sure they're rallying troops now.

"Maybe we should do this" I hear Adam murmur. They press a couple of buttons and something flies out at me. I manage to dodge it with teleportation but crash into a table in the process.

"Guys!" I yelp.

"Oops, sorry" Adam calls to me. I nod and watch as he frowns.

"You don't think..." he trails off, looking at Marina. She shrugs and leans forward.

"Why not?" she asks. I see her lean forward and press the button saying 3. How obvious.

Immediately, a panel in the wall opens and a body appears attached to a machine. I jump back shocked and stare at the body with a creepy fascination. It's a boy of around 14, with tanned skin and black hair. He's tall and lean, but I bet he's strong. He's Loric after all. A wound in his chest shows the injury that led to his death.

"That's Number Three all right; I recognise him. Also, he has the scars" Adam explains, pointing to the boy's ankle. Sure enough there are two scars.

Marina shifts slightly and reaches her hand out, transfixed. She's going to heal him. I grab her hand and pull her away. If she heals him, it could kill her. She might not have enough power; she gets exhausted after healing.

"No" I say sternly to her. I'm not losing her, I refuse to.

"He's still alive! I can feel him there. I can save him!" she says, pleading with me. I'm torn for a moment but then my feelings affect me again. I shake my head at her and she glares at me.

"This isn't your decision to make!" she shouts at me. I stare at her conflicted; I can't let her do this, otherwise i'm sure she'll die. I have this horrible feeling and I have to trust it.

"Please Marina, you'll die" I whisper. She looks at me sadly and shakes her head.

"I have to save him" she argues. I'm about to protest further when the door explodes inwards and mogs pour in. I turn around and viciously send a lethal blast of my white fire towards them and like the many others before them, they turn to dust. Adam also immediately leaps in, shooting his gun at them and using his legacy to confuse them, whilst I finish them off.

I turn once i'm done, letting Adam kill the rest, dread in my stomach. Marina will have tried to heal him, i'm sure of it. When I see her over him, her face pale and her body shaking, I teleport over immediately and shake her. Her eyes are closed and I can't break the connection.

I hear her heartbeat pick up to an impossible speed and I close my eyes, waiting for it to stop altogether but it doesn't. Instead, she slumps in my arms and I catch her automatically, desperately feeling for a pulse. It's there, weak but definitely there. She's unconscious but alive. Overjoyed, I swing her into my arms and hold her close to me. She's not dead. I had been so sure that such a huge act of healing would kill her, but I underestimated her.

I look towards the panel with Three lying on it and stare in wonder as he begins to open his eyes. He's confused and pretty delicate at first, but he soon gains strength and he sits up straight in the end. He stares at me shocked and his mouth drops open.

"Hey, Three" Adam says, coming closer. Three looks even more stunned and closes his mouth before opening it again, looking like a fish. I grin at him.

"I'm Eight. I think you know who Adam is" I say. He smiles back at me but his eyes are still so bewildered. I'm not gonna lie; it's pretty funny even in our situation.

Marina moans slightly and her eyes flutter a little. I'm amazed she's even alive, let alone awake. Adam looks at her concerned and Three turns to look at her. His expression turns even slacker but I think it's because this will be the first Loric girl he's ever met and by far the prettiest.

Three mutters something under his breath in a foreign language but stands up shakily. I can hear more mogs approach and my light-hearted mood disappears. I need to fight but I can't put Marina down.

"This is Seven, but she prefers Marina. Here, take her. She just saved your life so you better look after her" I tell Three. He takes her easily; I was right, he is stronger than he looks. He nods seriously.

I turn towards the door, loading the gun in my hands and taking deep breaths. I'm calming myself so that I can use my legacy to a devastating effect. I focus my hearing and hear hundreds of boots pounding towards us.

I can only hope we're ready for them.

* * *

So, I hope you enjoyed :D

Please review!


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies...

Hi guys!

A huge thank you for all the reviews! They are as lovely and encouraging as always so please keep them coming!

Secondly, I am soooo glad that you guys are happy the Cepans and Two and Three have returned. It was a massive gamble to take but I'm so relieved it's paid off! Hopefully, I'll write it well enough.

Also, I am working on the one-shot for Six and Sam and _should _update it by latest Friday. I've done a little work on it but the title is 'Comic Con'...

So, anyway, read on and hopefully enjoy

* * *

Two

England has always been my home, but now I have to leave it for America. I'm excited by the prospect yet still nervous. I wonder what the other Garde will be like now that i'm finally getting the chance to meet them. I hope they like me.

We're sat in a hotel room; John and Six are asleep. I haven't been alive that long but yet even I know something's going on between those two. Despite the fact he had a human girlfriend.

How odd; I thought Loric only loved one person.

I think of my Cepan and a tear slips down my cheek at the onslaught of painful memories. I miss him so much but I'll never get to see him again. I hope he wasn't disappointed in me, at the end. I know he would have been proud of me when I was in the base with Six and John.

Six. I've never met anyone like her before and I want nothing more than to be like her. She's deadly, strong, funny, nice and pretty. John told me she's unique and I can't agree with him more. She's my role model. She's already started training me and I can't wait to learn more, to be able to fight. To take my revenge.

John stirs in the bed and gets up, groaning as he rubs his eyes. He's nice enough and I owe him my life. After his girlfriend's death, he's been withdrawn and sad but he still finds the time to explain everything to me. He's been so kind to me.

"I thought you might be asleep" he murmurs, running a hand through his hair. I shrug and the neck of the oversized jumper i'm wearing slips down my shoulder. I sigh and push it back up. I really need some proper clothes. John smiles at me and takes a swig of water from his bottle.

"What are you thinking about?" he asks me. I sigh and look away from his piercing blue eyes.

"Everything. My Cepan, Lorien, the Garde" I reply. He nods and looks thoughtful.

"You'll like them" he says. I nod again but can't squash the nerves in my stomach.

"There's Ella, or Number Ten. She's your age and you two kind of look similar as well" he says. I smile at him; at least there's someone my age. Maybe we'll become good friends.

"What about Number Five?" I ask, going down the list of the numbers. John smirks.

"Err, she's probably the least welcoming one. She seems mean but i'm sure she's nice really... She'll train you well" he adds, seeing my face. I don't want the Garde to be mean but I suppose we have to fight mogs during our childhood; why would we be nice?

"You know Six obviously, so then there's Seven. She likes to be called Marina though" he continues. I nod and hope that she's nicer than Five. "She's lovely. You'll get on with her; she gets on with anyone, so don't worry about her" he says. I smile in relief.

"And Eight?" I ask. Johns nods, looking thoughtful.

"He's nice. Always cheerful and he's got some pretty awesome legacies. He can be tough but only to those who are mean to Marina. He's going out with her" he says. My eyebrows shoot up. I never would have thought we'd have time for romance with our continuous fight against the mogs.

"And then there's Nine" an amused smirk appears on John's face. "He's... very special. You'll have to meet him to understand" he explains, grinning at my confused expression. I sigh and stretch my arms out.

"I hope they like me" I say sadly. John takes my hand.

"Of course they will! We've gotten stronger now you're alive again. When you develop your legacies, we'll be even better off!" he says. I nod and yawn.

"I think I might sleep. If we're going to America later I might as well grab as much as I can" I say. He nods and looks at me concerned.

"Don't worry about it, honestly" he says. I nod and smile at him, but the minute he can't see my face, I let it drop.

How am I supposed to fit in with the others?

Xxx

Five

I lie on the snow-covered ground, the remains of the car smoking around me. Sandor and I had been closest to the car when it had exploded but I had managed to put a small telekinetic shield between us before the rest of the blast threw me away. That's what stopped me from dying.

I hear groans and I close my eyes, hating seeing the world spin around me. I try to sit up but am too dizzy and I fall back down. I roll to my side and fight the nausea in my stomach that always appears when I have a concussion.

I hear shouts of agents as they come to finish the job off but I can't find the will power to get up and fight. Feet pound towards us and I open my eyes again, reaching for my knife. I stand up, the world spinning crazily. I really hate concussions.

The others lie around me, Ella completely unconscious. The rest of them are stirring slightly, but they won't be good enough to fight. I try to move to Nine, to wake him up, but the faintness overcomes me and I fall to my knees.

A hand grabs my hair and jerks me up. I'm so weak from the explosion and weeks from being on the run, that I just let it happen. It's like it's all decided to affect me now and I can't fight as well as I usually could. I attempt to twist around to stab the guy in the stomach, but he grabs my wrist and begins to crush it. I gasp and unwillingly the dagger falls from my hand.

I'm pulled back by my hair and my arms are held uncomfortably behind my back. I struggle and manage to throw a couple of guys down with telekinesis, when something hits my head hard and I fall down, groaning. I see a couple of agents handcuffing Sandor and Crayton as they moan with confusion. Ella is seen as unthreatening so they've left her for now but why they're not tying up Nine beats me. I'd take him down first; he's clearly the most menacing looking.

"So what do we have here? I'd say a stray terrorist" one agent asks with a thick accent. I look up and stare at him defiantly. I can tell they hate me by the looks of cruelty in their eyes. They're looking forward to hurting me. I try to stand up again, but the numerous blows to the head I've received today, are making me too weak.

"We know you're part of a terrorist group in America" the man says. I don't say a word, just trying to focus my sight. I'm guessing the terrorist story is what the US government are sticking to about us Loric. It seems to work on these agents anyway.

The man grabs me and twists my arm behind my back, tired of my silence. I cry out without meaning to and he smirks, amused. He throws me down to the ground again after brutally cracking the bones in my arm with a ruthless twist. I moan and fall to the snow, shivering in pain and cold. I beg my legacy of mind control to work but I just can't focus enough.

I'm kicked in the ribs roughly and I clutch at them, my breathing quickening at the pain. I see the others, all unconscious, being dragged towards a police van. Well, except for Nine. Agents are surrounding him, deciding the best way to restrain him even though he's just lying there. I try to call his name out but i'm kicked so hard on the face that I can't speak. I lie on the ground, trying not to cry. I spit blood out and wince at the pain in my jaw.

Once more, i'm dragged back up and a knife is pressed to my face. I feel drops of blood trickle down my cheek and I try to suppress the fear in me. Two agents stand next to me and hold my arms, keeping me in place for the third to intimidate me. I try to struggle but my injuries and weariness are taking their toll on me.

"So, what are you doing in Russia?" the leader asks, pressing the knife closer to me. I kick my leg up high and it connects with the guys jaw. He howls as it cracks slightly and the grips on my arms tighten significantly. I moan at the pressure that has on my broken arm.

"Oh, you little bitch" the man snarls, coming closer. He's holding the knife in a stabbing grip and I know he'll use it on me that way. I try to shy away, but the men holding me push me closer. The leader smiles and stands in front of me, our noses almost touching.

"Do you know what we do to terrorists here? When they threaten our country?" he warns. I shake my head and try to move away but I can't move. He laughs and his stale breath washes over my face, making me recoil in disgust. His eyes darken at that and he moves closer.

"Oh, I think we'll have some fun with trying to make you talk" he says, laughing. The two men join in and I thrash about more. They seem to find this funny and throw me to the ground, where I collapse to my knees. I sit there, stunned by the blows to my body. I shiver in the cold wind, the tears on my cheeks making it worse.

"Get her up" the man orders and I feel a grip on my arm dragging me up. I shake my head and moan in protest as i'm pulled up again. My body is shaking violently from pain, fear and cold. The other agents are over by the van and I assume they've got Nine in there. Despair fills me and I begin to cry more. I haven't cried in years but after everything that's happened today, I just can't help it.

"Look at her. She's pathetic!" the leader mocks and he grabs my hair and twists my face up to meet his. I cry out at the stab of pain that causes me. The knife is pressed against my throat and my head aches at the pain from his knotted hand in my hair. I try to move away but instead he laughs and spits in my face.

"I think we'll start here" he whispers, the knife tip moving up to my cheekbone. I steel myself waiting for the pain. Marina and Eight withstood it, I can too. The man grins and angles the knife so it begins to cut me, blood running down my face. I whimper without meaning to and try to move my head away. He laughs and backhands me hard.

"Let. Her. Go" I turn my face ever so slightly and see Nine standing there, fury on his face. He looks terrifying with his jaw locked and his fists clenched. Sandor stands behind him holding a gun but Crayton isn't there. I guess he's with Ella; protecting her. My head spins but I know what I have to do.

"Well now-" the man begins but I lash out at him, throwing a strong kick to his stomach. He gasps and bends over and then Nine is on him. I forgot how fast he can move. The men holding me push me away as they turn to Nine. I feel a strong grip on my arm steady me as I slip and I flinch instinctively until I see Sandor smile at me. I stumble slightly but force myself to remain upright. I need to stay awake until I get the healing stone from Ella.

I'm so tired.

Nine, on the other hand, is a beast. He easily throws the men around in a similar fashion to how they treated me. I see him grab the leader and toss him into a nearby wall of a building. He slides down it with a groan and then Nine is in front of him, pulling him up by his shirt like a gangster. I can't help but admire Nine, how determined he is. Sandor clearly feels the same by the look of pride on his face. I also feel thrilled that Nine is this enraged over me, that he feels this protectiveness towards me. The man is dragged over by Nine and then forced to his knees in front of Sandor and I.

"Apologise to her" Nine orders through gritted teeth. He's still furious and the man is gasping, tears running down my face. Usually, I would make this man pay but i'm so tired and I just want this all to be over with.

"It's ok Nine" I whisper. Our eyes meet as I speak and a thrill races through me, causing butterflies in my stomach. He shakes his head, fire in his eyes, and grabs the guy's hair, pulling his head back.

"Apologise!" Nine shouts. The man tries to nod desperately and he muffles a sob.

"I'm sorry, i'm sorry" he begs, sobs wracking his body. Despite everything, I feel pity for him; he's only human after all and Nine _is_ pretty terrifying.

"That's all right" I reply quickly, seeing Nine's face. "Let him go Nine" I say. He sighs but slams his elbow into the base of the man's neck. He falls to the ground, unconscious but alive.

Dizziness suddenly washes over me and my knees give way, but Nine never lets me touch the floor. He sweeps me up into his arms and I rest my head against his chest, relieved by his presence. I've never felt so safe before in my life and I close my eyes.

"Oh no you don't. Don't sleep just yet" Nine warns me. I sigh but open my eyes unwillingly. He's still angry but I see deep tenderness in his eyes when he looks at me.

Sandor and Nine begin talking as we walk back to the van where i'm assuming Crayton and Ella are. Nine's arms are firm around me; a little tighter than necessary. I inhale his scent and I listen to his heartbeat; it's soothing to me.

Oh, I have it so bad for him.

We reach the van and Nine gently lays me down in the back. He talks to someone else quickly and then a stone is pressed to my arm. Finally. I endure the minutes of hell it takes for the stone to work its' magic but eventually my head clears and my injuries heal. I find most of the exhaustion slipping away, although i'm still tired. But at least I can think clearly.

I sit up and rub my head, grimacing at the blood that transfers onto my hands. I must look a mess. Nine smiles and sits next to me. Ella is hovering nearby concerned and the two Cepan are scavenging round for a spare van. I see unconscious agents lying around but I can't find it in me to pity them.

"Are you ok?" Nine asks, pocketing the stone. I nod and avoid his eyes, embarrassed by how easily the men threw me around.

I see Nine reach his hand out and hold mine gently. He lightly traces the back of my hand with his fingers and I feel sparks of electricity in my skin. I blush and look up at him through my eyelashes. His gaze is intense and warm; a look I easily get lost in. When I first met him, he seemed emotionless and revengeful, and whilst he's still like that in fights, he's also gentle and kind inside. The sort of person I'd like to get to know properly.

"Nine!" Sandor calls. Nine's face turns away reluctantly and I breathe a sigh of relief to be out of that intense gaze. He jumps down from the van and i'm left alone with my thoughts. I look down at my hands, confused and alone. I wish Christina were here to help me with my feelings.

I shake away my feelings and get out to meet the others. I plaster an impassive mask on my face and join them. Ella smiles at me sweetly and I see looks of sympathy from the two Cepans. I try not to frown at that; I don't like being pitied.

"Nine said you found an artefact" Sandor says to me, acting as though nothing has happened for which i'm grateful. I nod and pull out the blue stone I had found in the Church. Crayton sucks in a breath and shares a glance with Sandor.

"Well? What is it?" I ask impatiently. A smile plays on Nine's lips at my tone but he doesn't say anything.

"It's a very rare Lorien artefact" Sandor says. Nine groans.

"We know _that!_ But what does it do?" he questions. We share a frustrated glance and I can't control the small blush that plays on my cheeks when I meet his eyes. Dammit, I never used to blush!

"If you concentrate correctly, you can control any legacy you want" Crayton explains. My breath stops and I stare at him wide-eyed.

"What?!" I ask stupidly. Sandor smirks.

"Say you wanted to be able to shape-shift. Just think about that legacy whilst holding this stone and it happens. Also, you don't have the normal limitations of that legacy. But there are loads of problems. It drains a lot of energy out of you and can be very unreliable. It can cause as much good as harm" he explains. I nod and look closer at the blue stone. Now this is a useful artefact.

"Looks like it was a good idea to come here then" I say smugly to Nine. He rolls his eyes.

"You were lucky, that's all" he retorts. I'm about to reply when Ella cuts in, recognising the signs of an approaching argument.

"Ok... but what do we do now?" she asks Crayton. He smiles down at her lovingly and I feel a pang in my chest. I wish Christina were here. I miss her so much.

"I say go back to America. We can use the stone to teleport; there's no limit to how far we can teleport" he says.

"Sounds good to me. You said the others would be in Chicago, right?" Nine asks me. I nod and am about to reply, when gunfire explodes over our heads. I instinctively grab Ella and Crayton and pull them down to the ground, Nine doing the same for Sandor. Agents run out from the buildings and towards us, waving guns. I groan and hit my head.

"Five, use the stone!" Nine shouts at me. He hid behind a van opposite us; we're too far away from each other.

I understand what he's saying. He's telling me to get Crayton and Ella to America; he'll stay behind with Sandor. I shake my head at him. I won't leave him to die; he's too valuable to the Loric and to me.

I grab Ella and Crayton's hands and we turn invisible. We run desperately towards Nine and Crayton, and although the agents can't see us to shoot at us, they still fire their guns. I hear Ella cry out so I guess she must have been shot but she continues running so she must be ok. I hope she is.

We drop down by Nine and Sandor and turn visible. They looked shocked but i'm too busy to see whether Ella was badly injured. Fortunately, it was only a bullet that grazed her arm and half a minute with the healing stone does the trick.

"We need to get out of here" I say, pulling the Loric stone out. I intend to use it but Nine takes it out of my hand. I protest but he shakes his head.

"You don't have enough energy! I'll do it" he says. I look at him and then nod, resigned. I hope he can take the drain of energy that seems inevitable with this stone.

He closes his eyes and concentrates while the rest of us grab his arms. I hear the agents getting closer and closer and Ella and I lock eyes, our faces filled with fear. Nine's forehead is shining with sweat as he concentrates energy on the stone. Everything looks hopeless as the agents draw closer.

Suddenly, I feel as though i'm being sucked into a hole and everything goes black. I cling to Nine, still aware of everything that's happening to me as we're pulled through this sort of vortex thing. I can't scream and I just hold on, my eyes shut desperately.

Abruptly, everything stops and I land on sun-baked earth. The sun beats down on me and it's such a relief after Russia. I love the heat and I lie on my back, a stupid smile on my face. Ella is nearby as well as Sandor, who is leaning over Nine. He doesn't look good; pale and unconscious. Worry stirs in my stomach and I start to crawl towards him.

"Well" Crayton says, standing up and looking around. "Welcome to Texas"

Xxx

Adam

Eight is deadly. It's pretty amazing to watch. When you first meet him, he's cheerful and light-hearted. But the minute he gets into battle... you better hope he's on your side.

He's ripping through mogs with the sword, shape-shifting into different forms that destroy mogs, teleporting around whilst stabbing them and on top of that using his new lethal legacy to finish the rest off. I'm helping as best as I can, with teleportation and my seismic waves but Eight doesn't really need help; he's coping all by himself.

Three runs behind us both, Marina still in his arms. She's still out cold and i'm worried about her. It took a lot of energy to save Three; I hope it won't kill her.

A couple of mogs make the mistake to fight against Eight instead of running away down the next corridor and he aims his white fire at them. The stuff is agony and the mogs disintegrate in seconds. He turns to me and smiles grimly.

"Do you know where the exit is?" he asks.

"I think it's further down here. We went right to the centre to get Three" I shout back, over the noise of the base burning behind us. We're ok where we are, but I'd rather get further away from the flames. Eight nods and grips his sword tighter. Three joins us and Eight's eyes linger on Marina for a couple of seconds, until he turns around again.

"Ok... I think we go down here" he shouts to us. I nod and we begin to run down the corridor. Sweat is running down my face and back. The air is humid and sticky; we destroyed their air conditioning system. The pool of boiling green liquid in the centre helps run the place but it creates a hell of a temperature.

We run into another room and stop short. We're right in the centre of the base, the pool of liquid in the centre. I feel my skin shrivelling from the heat and i'm a good couple of metres away. It makes me sick to think Sam had to endure this when he was captured. The mogs will pay for this.

Mogs shout in alarm when they see us and I feel the guns being aimed at us. Bullets begin to race towards us and Eight diverts them, but he's distracted. I see a couple of bullets race towards his back and I shout his name in desperation.

They never touch him.

Marina is standing up, leaning heavily against Three. Her eyes are fixed on the bullets and I realise she must have saved Eight. She must have woken up a couple of minutes ago. I grin at her and then focus my legacy on a thick group of mogs. A ripple of destruction is realised by me and cracks appear in the floor and walls. Huge slabs of rock begin to fall around us and the mogs scream in panic. I see many squashed under the boulders and i'm pleased with my work, when I hear a huge crack.

"The ceiling!" Three shouts, pointing upwards. Eight and I look up and I cry out horrified, as I see massive blocks of concrete fall towards us. Marina pales and sways next to me, horror on her face.

"Take my hand!" Eight shouts. I reach and out grab it, as do the others. I send out a quick prayer to whoever might be listening and then we vanish from the main room to a side corridor. I watch in shock as the huge chunk of rock that would have killed us, slams into the ground. Eight stands next to me, a relieved smile on his face. Maybe teleporting in extreme panic helps you out more.

There's the explosion of a mog cannon and I turn as green fire races towards us. Eight can't block it in time and we're all sent sprawling around the hallway. Marina lands next to me and rubs her head, moaning. Today is really not a good day for her.

Two mogs stand over us and I try to stand up, when I feel a barrel pressed against my neck. I'm forced back down into a lying position. Marina is hauled up next to me and handcuffs are slapped on her wrists. I try to jump up to help her, but i'm soon grabbed and handcuffed myself. I can't see Eight or Three anywhere.

"Well, Loric scum and a traitor" a mog sneers, tilting my chin up. He spits in my face and I glare back at him.

"We'd get a fine reward from Setrakus if we gave them to him" the other suggests. I try to struggle away but I don't get very far. The thought of Setrakus having Marina and I makes me sick.

"Or you could let them go" we all turn to see Eight standing there, a cut on his cheek but otherwise ok. He looks confident and ready for a fight. A rule for when you're fighting Eight; don't threaten Marina. Then you're screwed.

One of the mogs aims a gun at Eight but he uses telekinesis to throw it away. The mog holding Marina pushes her away as he reaches for his sword. She stumbles and falls into me and we both go crashing onto the floor, having lost our balance with our hands cuffed together. Eight easily deflects the mog's stab with another sword he picked up. He's not as skilled as Nine or Six with this kind of weapon but he does a pretty good job.

He teleports behind the mog and wraps an arm around its' neck. It panics and tries to prise his hand away but it doesn't work and it soon turns to dust after Eight snaps its' neck. Three peeks out from behind a door and I realise they must have hidden there whilst the mogs took Marina and I.

Eight comes over and easily breaks the cuffs from our wrists. I nod in thanks as he helps Marina stand, wrapping an arm around her waist. She's really not in a good way at all; weak and swaying slightly.

"We need to get out of here" I tell Eight. He nods and looks around frustrated, not knowing where to go.

"Down there" Marina says quietly, pointing down the corridor. She must be reading minds or something.

"Right, let's go" Three says, joining us.

We run down the corridor as fast as we can, dodging the occasional stray bullet shot at us but a lone mog. I assume most of them are at the exit now, expecting us to be there. Marina may be weak but even on a bad day she's just as fast as us thanks to her legacy.

"Turn right!" she shouts as we reach a fork. I swerve to the right and we continue to run away from the centre. Sweat is pouring down my body now and I see the others are in the same situation as me. If I had known how hot it had been in here, I wouldn't have advised Eight to blow the system. We need the air conditioning.

As we run, I begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I know it sounds ironic but it's true. I shout it out to Eight and he nods, pace increasing. We're almost there, almost at the exit and then we're free.

Just as we reach the exit, a small door opens next to us and mogs pour out. Marina cries out and Eight throws his hands up, shooting his legacy at them without thinking. It's so effective and many are killed instantly.

"Get out!" Eight shouts to Marina. She needs to go; the mogs can see she's weakest and will target her. She nods and then grabs Three's hand. They slip through the exit and I see them run away. We'll meet them soon.

I fight blindly, not knowing or caring how many mogs I kill. I sweep through them with my sword, teleporting out of danger and killing more mogs in the process. I'm like a machine, constantly slaughtering and Eight is the same. Mogs continue to pour into the corridor but we match them with our speed and legacies.

I spin on my heel and stab at the mog on the ground, throwing my whole weight onto my sword. I'm exhausted and I see Eight's face lined with weariness. He's been cut badly on the arm but Marina's outside and the healing stone's back with Adelina.

"Eight! Come on!" I shout at him. He nods and worn out, he sends a huge ball of his white fire towards the mogs. They die in seconds; melting in the extreme heat. There are only a couple left but they have the sense to run away.

I grab his arm and we hobble outside of the base. The fresh air is wonderful but I don't have time to appreciate the chill. We need to find Marina and Three. We both run down the hill, slipping here and there on the wet grass. Shots are fired at us but i'm too tired to be scared.

We reach the bottom and enter the trees around the base. I don't feel as exposed and relax at once. Marina jumps out from her hidden point and runs to Eight, who throws his arms around her. They both sink to the ground, exhausted by their extensive legacy usage and relieved the others' ok. I see Marina begin to heal the cut on his arm despite the fact she's so exhausted. Three appears too, a sword in his hand. I bend over and take deep breaths, preparing myself. I know what I have to do.

I turn and face the base, my hands clenching and unclenching. I take another deep breath and close my eyes. I imagine my mind reaching out, searching for the base. I find it and judge the distance, feeling the power of my legacy building up in me. I smile and release the energy.

I sink to my knees, weary and watch the show. The whole base, a huge compound like New Mexico, begins to shake and collapse in my earthquake. Huge slabs of rock fall from the buildings and slowly it crumbles to the ground. There's a huge roaring sound and I feel the earth shake where we stand. I wobble slightly and hear Three cry out in shock, not knowing my legacy. Dust rises in the air by the rubble of the once great base. Now, it's nothing.

I breathe in and turn to the others. Marina looks half-dead, leaning on Eight who also looks pretty beat-up. They both look awed and Eight smiles at me.

"What just happened?" Three gasps out, completely shocked. I can't be bothered to explain to him now; I don't have the energy. Eight stands up and helps Marina up too, lifting her in his arms.

"We'll explain later. Right now, we have to go" he says. Three looks annoyed but nods anyway.

We stumble through the woods, Three the strongest out of all of us. Marina has told us Adelina will come for us and i'm so relieved she will. Right now, we need all the help we can get. We finally exit the woods and reach a small road, hidden in the forest. A car is waiting nearby; the one Adelina stole.

She jumps out and runs to us, relief on her face. She sees us properly and her look of happiness turns to worry. We're all covered in dust, blood and ash. Adelina then freezes when she sees Three.

"W-what?" she asks, stumbling on her words in her shock.

Marina smiles and stumbles forward to hug her Cepan. From what I saw those two are wary of each other but I guess in times of great stress, a hug is always good. Adelina looks shocked at first (today's just full of surprises) but then hugs her back.

"This is Three. I healed him but I'll explain properly later. Right now, we need to go" Marina says to her Cepan, who nods.

We manage to get into the car and then we can finally sit down, relaxing in the seats. Eight and Marina pretty much fall asleep immediately resting on the other and Three curls up next to the window.

"Is Marina ok?" Adelina asks, as we drive away. I sigh and force my eyes to stay open.

"She will be... she almost died saving Three" I murmur. Adelina smiles when she sees my expression and then pats my hand.

"Sleep, you're all safe now" she says.

I nod and soon enough, I fall fast asleep.

* * *

So, not such a big POV from Two but I hope the longer one from Five made it up!

Hope you enjoyed and please review!


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies..

Hi guys!

A huge thank you for all your reviews! You guys are consistantly amazing so thank you all so much for your support. Just a small note, 'artefact' is the English spelling of the word but I understand that my spelling can be different for American readers.

Also, I've posted a Sam/Six one-shot for my other story 'It's the Little things that count' so if any of you want some fluff between them, it's right there, just like you asked :D

Also,BK is unfortunately with Sam and Malcolm in Chicago but is still a very important character. He will feature more, I promise.

**For those who are getting impatient, the Garde are meeting up _very soon._**

So, read on and enjoy...

* * *

Six

"Please fasten your seatbelts" the overhead announcement says. I follow the instructions and lean back in my chair, waiting for take-off. We checked the plane before boarding and there are no mogs in sight. We made it to an airport and are now on our way to New York. In the next two days we'll be back in Chicago.

"I wonder if the others have already made it" I say to John. He's sat next to the window and has been pretty much silent the whole day. He smiles sadly and shrugs.

"Probably" he replies. I sigh as he turns away again; looking out of the window.

Ever since Sarah has died, he's become more withdrawn and distant. I hate it; I want him to be back to normal again but I have to remind myself that he did just lose the girl he loved.

The plane begins to take off and Two begins bouncing slightly with nerves next to me. She's nice enough but very shy around me. John says I intimidate her though I've tried being gentle with her. It will just take time, I guess.

"You ever been on a plane before?" I ask her. She looks at me shyly and nods.

"Yes, but with my Cepan. It's different now" she says sadly. I nod and take her hand.

"You have us now. And then when you meet the others, you'll have even more friends" I say to her. She nods again and then sighs.

"It's just hard, that's all" she says. She then shrugs and smiles. "But, I can't feel sorry for myself all the time. I think I might sleep, prepare for America" she says. I laugh and ruffle her hair. She has quite a cheerful personality considering everything that has happened to her and I appreciate that more than ever right now.

Two leans back in her chair and closes her eyes. I smile and then turn to John again, who's frowning. I sigh and he looks at me confused.

"What's wrong?" he asks. I take his hand and look him in the eyes.

"John, you have to talk to me. You can't keep all this grief locked inside of you; it's not healthy" I plead with him. He heaves a sigh and looks away.

"It's not easy to talk about with you" he replies. I feel a flash of pain.

"Fine. Suit yourself" I say, trying to pull my hand away. He clenches it so I can't move and smiles at me gently.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just meant I find it hard to talk to you about my girlfriend dying when I love you" he says. I get that familiar pang of joy when he admits his feelings for me. I blush ever so slightly and look down.

"I miss her too" I say. And it's true. Despite betraying us, she wasn't as bad as I ever made out. I just hope Sarah realised that.

"Do you know what the worst thing is?" he says, his eyes still looking at my face. I look up, questioning him.

"It's that i'm relieved she's gone. That I don't have to end things with her to be with you. How cowardly is that?" he says, shaking his head with a look of self-hatred on his face. I reach out and turn his face towards mine.

"It shows you weren't happy with her. No one can blame you for feeling relieved that you don't have to go through something that horrible" I reassure him. "No one would want to have to break up with her when she's in that situation" I say. He nods and exhales.

"You always know exactly what to say" he says. I smile and shrug.

"Well, I _am_ awesome" I say. He laughs quietly, a sound that makes my heart lift to hear it again.

"You really are" he says, looking me deeply in the eyes. He then leans down and gently kisses me. My eyes flutter shut and I begin to kiss him back when I hear a short cough and I pull away blushing furiously. Two looks at us, just as red as me.

"Um, the flight attendant wants to know if you want anything" she says. The attendant is smiling humorously and I quickly shake my head, really embarrassed. John laughs again next to me and grabs a coke. Fortunately, the flight attendant moves quickly on. I lean back in my chair, still blushing and Two leans back in her chair.

"Right, you guys can continue now" she says, shutting her eyes. John chokes slightly on his drink and I begin to laugh.

"Oh shut up" he mutters, wiping his shirt. I grin and take his hand.

"So, where does that leave us?" I ask, hoping that he will ask me out. Screw the fact his girlfriend died less than a week ago. We love each other and that's all that matters.

"Well, I obviously don't want anything between the two of us..." John teases, grinning cheekily at me. I hit his arm and raise my eyebrow at him.

"John" I warn him. He laughs again and then pulls a pleading expression.

"Please, would you do me the great honour of becoming my-" he begins but is cut off when Two jumps up.

"You're not proposing to her, are you?!" she asks, a shocked look on her face. I begin to laugh and John joins in, both of us amused by her expression. I can see Two's point, it did sound like he was going to propose but I know he was just playing around. This is how he's really like, this is the real John.

"I thought you were supposed to be asleep" I say. She turns red and turns away from us, muttering something about 'stupid couples'.

"I was going to say girlfriend but i'm up for it..." John says teasing me. I roll my eyes and hit him gently.

"I _suppose_ I could be your girlfriend" I say. He grins and leans forward towards me but I hold a hand up.

"First, a couple of rules" I say. He nods, grinning at me. "I _always _win the arguments" I say, secretly teasing.

"What?! That's not fair!" he protests.

"Do you want to go out with me or not?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. He sighs and sits back in his chair, a woeful look on his face.

"What's the next one?" he asks, resigned. I grin, wickedly.

"You back me up in _all _arguments against Nine" I say. He nods and smiles.

"I can do that one. Anything else?" he asks.

"Yep. I don't want you falling in love with anyone else whilst you're with me" I say, sort of serious on this one. He grins, knowing i'm talking about us falling in love when he was still with Sarah.

"Oh, I don't know... it's just so hard. So many ladies, so little time" he complains. I laugh and shake my head at his idiocy.

"So do you agree to the rules?" I ask. He nods and leans forward, smiling tenderly.

"Definitely, if it means getting you" he says.

He cuts off my reply with a kiss.

Xxx

We walk through the airport, John and I holding hands. I feel so happy, so light-hearted that nothing can affect me now. I'm on top of the world.

Two is walking beside us, taking in the sights around her. She's never been in America before so everything amazes her. I don't think it's that different from England but she's insistent on looking at absolutely everything.

I'm about to turn to John, to ask whether we should grab a car here or somewhere else, when there's the sound of gunfire and shouting. Travellers scream and drop to the ground and I automatically pull John and Two down with me, so we fit in and remain safe.

"Agents! They must know we're here!" I hiss to them. The shouting draws closer and I see Two go pale. John is determined and grips his sword. Despite being with me, he's still going to take revenge for what they did to Sarah.

And I'm going to help him.

"You ready Six?" he asks, all purpose, no hesitation.

"Always" I reply.

Xxx

Nine

"So my young ward. What's happened recently?" Sandor asks, walking into the room. He's wearing another Italian suit and I stare at him stunned. He has got to be dying from the heat in that.

"You know what happened, Five told you" I answer. We're in a hotel room in Texas, recovering from everything. Crayton and Ella are sharing one room; Five, Sandor and I in the other. Except Five went out for a walk an hour ago so now it's just Sandor and I.

"I wasn't talking about the other Garde. I was talking about you and Five" he replies, sitting on the edge of the bed. Without meaning to, I blush and look away. Things are...complicated, to say the least. I know now that I love Five; my reaction to seeing her being beaten by those men is a clear sign. But I have no idea whether she feels the same.

"Aha! A tell-tale blush!" Sandor announces. I groan and cover my face with my hand. I _am_ glad he's here though. I need some help.

"There's nothing going on" I protest. Sandor grins and takes a sip from his martini. He charmed a bartender from downstairs to give him a free one; still the same as ever.

"But you want there to be" he acknowledges. I sigh and look away.

"I dunno... after Maddy and stuff..." I trail off, not being able to explain my feelings. Sandor's face goes dark at Maddy's name. We've never talked about what happened to us in that base but I guess now's the time.

"I'm sorry... for everything that happened. I should have listened to you" I say, my best attempt at an apology. Sandor sighs but doesn't do any touchy-feely stuff like take my hand. Thank god. We hated it before and we still hate it now.

"I never blamed you. I'm proud of you for never cracking in the base" he says. I smile and lean back into the pillows. "But I hope you realise i'm always right now" he adds, teasing me. I laugh and shove him with my foot.

"Oh please. I'm different from before, i'm wise now" I say. Instead of him laughing, Sandor turns serious and looks at me sadly.

"You're right. You have changed" he says. I turn sober too.

I know that since we last saw each other, I've definitely built up some muscle. Now, I look intimidating and dangerous which is fitting because I am. I'm also more reckless and eager to kill mogs. Sandor's return hasn't changed that; I still remember exactly what happened to us at the base and I'll never be truly recovered from it.

My bleak thinking is broken by the slam of the door. I shoot up immediately but relax when I see Five enter. Sandor had also snatched up a gun but now grins and tosses it back down. Five rolls her eyes and holds up a bag of takeout.

"Be careful, the lethal burgers may attack if you're not prepared" she says sarcastically. I roll my eyes and grab one from the bag. Sandor does the same and happily chews on his food. For a man who loves designer suits, his choice in food is the opposite. Looking at him, you would have thought he'd love gourmet food.

"Ha ha, you crack me up Five" I say deadpan. It's her turn to roll her eyes. Sandor grins at our banter and raises an eyebrow at me. Great, he probably thinks we were flirting. I don't think I can ever talk to Five again now that Sandor is around; he'll watch everything.

"So how was your walk?" Sandor asks. Five shrugs.

"Ok, I guess. At least I had some alone time" she says. As someone who's been alone for the last five years, she really hates lots of company. I can understand that. After the base, I can't get enough of company and yet at the same time, I crave my alone time.

"So, when will we get to Chicago?" I ask, excited to see our home again and with Sandor this time. I see the excitement reflected in his eyes and he smiles at me.

"It's a 17 hour journey so we're gonna split it between two days" he says. I nod accepting that we'll need to take longer.

"I wonder if the others are there" I say. Five nods and finishes her burger. Damn, for a small girl she can sure eat a lot. Nowhere near as much as me though.

"Right, well i'm gonna grab some sleep. Won't get much time for it later" Sandor says, lying back down. I grin at him and nod, stretching out too.

"Same. Hey Five, you want to share a bed with me?" I ask, reverting back to the Nine that hides his insecurities with a cocky attitude, the one the others met. Sandor laughs and if John were here, he'd roll his eyes. Five turns bright red but flips her hair back.

"Sorry_ sweetheart_ but you're going to have to try harder than that" she calls over her shoulder. I grin and use telekinesis to switch the light off. Damn, why does she have to be so perfect to me? I shut my eyes and try and block out everything from Five to the mogs.

Surprisingly, I'm out in seconds.

Xxx

I wake up, sweating and shaking. I had another nightmare about Sandor being tortured; it was horrible. I can't get his screams out of my head, even if he is snoring next to me. I need to clear my head.

I stand up and go to the window, opening it up quietly. The breeze cools my hot skin down at once and it feels great. I'm dressed only in sweatpants but I know I won't be cold. I'm too worked up to be cold.

I jump out the window and at once anti-gravity kicks in. I check to make sure no one's watching and then I quickly run down the wall. Once I reach the ground, I steadily jog away, hidden by the black night. I hear cicadas in the trees and animals moving around in the darkness but I don't worry about snakes or anything. There are worse things to be scared of.

I settle down on a small hill outside of the town, staring out across the desert. It's beautiful, in a barren sort of way. Sand and small rocks are everywhere and i'm slightly aware that my feet are cut but not too badly. I've had worse injuries.

I sit on the hill for about an hour or so, enjoying the freedom and the peace of my thoughts. The dream has gone from my mind and instead i'm thinking about good memories of Sandor and I. Now that he's alive, I don't think back on them with regret, only happiness.

I hear the sound of footsteps and I turn to see Five appear. My heart leaps and I look away, unsure of what to say. She stands next to me and then after a small hesitation, sits down. She's wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt and her hair is ruffled around her face. Yet she's gorgeous to me and I find my hands sweating slightly from nerves.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she says, motioning towards the view. I nod and look away from her shining eyes. The peace that had come over me earlier is long gone; now all I can think about are her lips and how much I'd like to kiss them again.

"I'm sorry about your Cepan" I say to her. She nods and looks down at her hands. I know she's been hurting since Sandor and Crayton returned and I wouldn't expect anything less. I would feel the same way if it happened to me.

"But I have you, right?" she asks, her voice small. I realise what a big thing this is, Five admitting to needing others. I heard her talking to Ella when we were in Russia and saying that she didn't need anyone but her now asking for my support is monumental.

"You don't even have to ask" I reply, looking at her. She smiles and then leans her head on my shoulder. Her soft hair brushes against my bare skin and I can smell the shampoo in her hair. How I feel about Five is ten times greater than what I ever felt for Maddy. I'm completely in love with Five; even if she doesn't return my feelings.

"I'm sorry about Russia" Five whispers. I look down at her and our kiss flashes through my mind. I swallow and look away, trying to not think about it.

"It's ok" I mutter, though I feel the exact opposite.

"No, it's not" she says. She sits up and turns to look at me. "Nine, you have to understand. I- I really like you. I think I might even love you" she says. My heart stops and I stare at her, delighted and stunned by her admission.

"Then why did you run away? Why didn't you stay and tell me this?" I ask her, completely confused. She sighs and runs a hand through her hair.

"Because i'm scared. Love is a weakness" she says. I try to protest but she pushes on. "You saw it with Maddy and it happened to Eight and Marina. He gave himself up in Chicago so she wouldn't get hurt. That's the problem. I won't have anyone use you against me. I can't stand you getting hurt for me" she says, tears in her eyes at the end.

I understand what she's saying; I can't constantly worry about the mogs using her to get to me. Yet, I think it's worth fighting for. I'm not giving up on her, even if she thinks it's a sealed case. I love her and I know she feels the same. Love is not a weakness, no matter what she says.

It's funny, after West Virginia I believed that emotions only got you killed but I know differently now. I've seen how strong it made John and now Eight. Five may be right about a lot of stuff but not this.

"Setrakus is the main problem. He'll always keep an eye out on the both of us; i'm his heir and you're the only one who's been strong enough to fight him. We're special to him and he'd destroy us if he found out how we felt. I can't let that happen to you" she says.

I feel my heart breaking as she insists she has to stay away. I feel pain in my chest and I try to blink back tears. Why can't she just accept her feelings? Why does she always have to be so difficult?

"It won't stop me loving you though" I say, clenching my fists. "I won't ever stop having these feelings for you. I won't give up; I don't care what you say" I say intensely.

Her eyes look back at me shining with tears and the moonlight. I've never seen her cry. Despite this, she's still beautiful; I can't stop looking at her in awe. She shakes her head and bites her lip.

"Don't say that" she replies weakly, taken aback by my admission. I smile sadly and realise how close we are. If she insists on staying away, I won't make it easy for her.

I lean down and capture her lips with mine. She makes a small noise in protest but if she really wanted to go, she could have. I twist one hand in her hair, messing it up further, whilst the other wraps around her waist and pulls her close. Soon after, she kisses back, her resolve crumbling, and I know I've won this small battle. Her lips press back against mine, desperate and passionate. One of her hands presses against my bare chest, which sends sparks through my skin. Our kiss increases in intensity and I find myself pressing even closer to her.

I'm not sure how long we kiss for; it could have been a couple of minutes or a couple of hours. When we finally pull back, it's getting slightly lighter and I can see her face better. Her lips are a little puffy and red but that makes them all the more tempting to kiss. Her hair is messed up and her eyes shine brightly. Realisation seems to hit her and she pulls back further.

"Why did you do that?!" she cries out, standing up.

So, my plan did work; I've made it harder for her already. Damn, I must be a good kisser.

"You kissed me back! Don't pretend you were innocent in this!" I retort back to her. We both stand up and glare at each other, though passion is still definitely coursing through my body. Judging by the look in her eyes, it's the same for her.

"I'm trying to protect us! This is for our own good!" she shouts at me. She turns around and kicks a stone and it flies away. I cross my arms and frown at her.

"You didn't seem very resistant a minute ago" I remark.

She glares at me but before she can say anything, I grab her arm and pull her to me again. She doesn't resist as I kiss her again and her body melts against mine as she kisses me back. We stay like that for a while, until I pull away and then trail kisses along her cheek and to her ear. Her breath hitches and her hands rest uselessly against my chest as she stands in my arms.

"Remember what I said. I'm not giving up on you. And I can be stubborn" I whisper to her.

She simply stares back at me as I pull away and take a couple of steps back. I smile at her grimly one last time and then turn away back to the hotel. I hear her swear under her breath and then flop down onto the sand. I grin in triumph.

Oh, i'm not going to make this easy on her at all.

Xxx

Marina

My head rests on Eight's shoulder as the car continues to drive towards Chicago. The journey is about eight hours long but we're splitting it into two days. We need proper rest after our attack on the base and the only way we can get that is at a motel or someplace like that.

I'm so tired after healing Three; it's a battle to keep my eyes open. I feel faint and there's this burning sensation around my heart that tells me I've used way too much energy today. Fortunately, I don't have to do much now but just sit in the car.

Eight's hand is gently stroking my hair and I smile against his shoulder. He's a lot more awake since his sleep and so is Adam, who is chatting with Adelina. Three looks like he could be asleep, that or he's reflecting on everything that's happened.

"You ok?" Eight's low voice makes me jump ever so slightly. His lips brush my ear and I feel his breath on my neck. It makes my skin tingle and my heart beat increase just a little. I try to ignore my body's reaction to him and I look up and nod wearily. He smiles gently at me and tucks some hair behind my ear.

"You should sleep more" he says, frowning slightly. I sigh and look away, out the window.

"I know... but I can't seem too" I reply honestly. I'm still on edge after the battle and my nerves won't let me sleep. It's horrible because I feel really tired and I'm craving sleep.

"We're stopping for a coffee soon if anyone wants one" Adelina offers. I look away from her eyes and down at my lap. I had hugged her earlier in a moment of weakness but I still feel resentful of her. She expects everything to be ok between us but it's not.

"Sounds good, I could do with some caffeine" Eight replies. I smile at him as we pull up to a service station. I get out of the car and stretch in the fresh air. It's rejuvenating and makes me feel more awake as the cold wind blows against me.

Adelina looks at me hesitantly and smiles timidly at me. "Um, do you want to come with me?" she asks nervously. I feel Eight's expectant eyes on me, wanting me to make things up with her, and I nod.

"Sure" I reply. I shove my hands in my pockets and then turn away from the car. Three, Adam and Eight begin talking as Adelina and I fetch the coffee.

"So, how have things been?" Adelina asks me. I feel like a little girl all over again when i'm with her and I hate it. Recently, I've been more confident but now I feel like it's all reverted.

I shrug and look away from her searching eyes. "Ok, I guess. We met up with the others but then things went wrong and we've split up again" I tell her. She nods, already knowing this, and we enter the shop. I'm relieved by the warmth as it is pretty cold outside after a while.

"I meant with you personally" she says. I sigh and pick up a chocolate bar. After today, I really need it.

"Everything's fine with me" I reply. She sighs and frowns, frustrated by my short answers.

"You and Eight seem happy. I'm glad you have someone like him" she says, trying to open a new topic. Despite myself, I smile at the thought of Eight. He just has the effect on me, making me cheerful no matter what.

"Yeah, we're happy. He's great isn't he? He's always there for me and loyalty's a hard trait to find in people" I say, throwing a subtle dig at her. Her eyes narrow but she doesn't say anything.

We go up to the coffee bar and order the drinks in silence. I'm too consumed in my thoughts to really pay attention to anything. Of course I love her, she was the only one who shared my secret when we were in the convent and she's like a mother to me. But at the same time, she gave up on me and i'm so behind in training because of it. I want to forgive her but whenever we talk, I always have the urge to hurt her as much as she hurt me.

"Here you go" the man hands us our drinks and I smile and take them. Adelina quickly pays and then we head back to the others.

"Just... don't rush things, ok?" Adelina says to me.

"What?" I ask confused. She sighs and looks at me in the face.

"Don't rush things with Eight. There are more guys than him; he's not your whole life" she says. My mouth drops open and I stare at her shocked.

"I'm enjoying being with Eight and in the middle of our war, that's a good thing. I haven't even thought about a future with him because I don't know if I'll be alive tomorrow! No offence Adelina, but you don't know me well enough to say things like that" I reply, bitingly.

She frowns and we stop, facing one another. My hands are clenched around the coffee cups and I have to loosen them a bit. I can feel a fierce glare on my face as we stand in the car park. I read Eight's mind and he senses the conflict between us but he doesn't come over. Yet.

"I know you better than you may think, Marina" she replies, her jaw locked. I laugh bitterly.

"Oh really? When did you get to know me? When I was hidden in my room trying to master my legacies? Or was it when you were in _your room_, praying to a God that doesn't exist?!" I snap at her. She pales slightly, a sign of anger with her.

"Yes, I was a terrible Cepan in Spain but before that we were happy together. When I was Emmalina and you were Sophie or Astrid or whatever you wanted to be called" she replies, trying to keep control.

"Before that I didn't need the same amount of help!" I shout at her. Eight has begun to make his way over to us, Adam and Three trailing. "When I got telekinesis, where were you?! Where were you when Three died and I realised I needed to go?! Where were you when the other girls isolated me and the Sisters hit me with the paddle?! You did nothing!" I yell at her. She looks fragile by now but I can't find it in me to feel bad.

"I did nothing because you didn't need the help! Look at you; you're strong enough to handle anything. That's because of me!" she says, desperately searching for an excuse. I laugh again angrily.

"Oh, right, so it was some stupid lesson? That's what it all was?!" I ask sarcastically. Eight appears next to us, looking serious.

"Guys, we need to keep it down. We don't want to attract attention" he says, reaching for my hand. I push him away, still livid, and turn to Adelina.

"You know nothing about me! You know nothing about what I went through when you weren't there! You were a terrible guardian and I hate you! I wish you were still dead!" I hiss at her viciously. She goes pale with shock and hurt and the hand reaching for me drops.

I shove the coffee cups to Eight, who takes them automatically. He is also stunned from my vicious outburst. I feel tears in my eyes and I storm away, to get some alone time. I hear Adam call my name but I ignore him.

I just want to be alone.

Xxx

I sit on a small hill near the service station, crying. My knees are drawn up to my chin and I rest my head on them. Big sobs wrack my body and i'm aware I wouldn't act like this if I weren't so tired. A cold wind whips through the trees and chills my body but I don't want to go back.

I don't know what I want anymore.

I hear the sound of footsteps and then Eight settles down on the ground next to me. He doesn't say a word to me and I continue crying into my knees. We sit there in silence for a while as I begin to calm down slightly. I feel weariness come over me and I realise I really need sleep.

I look up and wipe my cheeks. The wind whips my hair around my head and plasters a couple of strands against my wet cheeks. Eight reaches out and gently brushes the strands away, whilst using his thumb to wipe the last of the tears away.

"Do you think i'm overacting?" I ask him, my voice cracking. He sighs and looks away, into the distance.

"I think you're tired...emotionally and physically. I think you've reached breaking point" he answers, his hand dropping away from me. There's another silence for a moment.

"I don't hate her" I whisper, looking down at the grass. I feel his gaze on me but I don't look up at him. I'm ashamed from my earlier behaviour.

"I know" he replies. I sniff slightly and reach up to wipe from my cheeks more tears.

"I don't know whether I can do this anymore. It's all so much!" I sob, pressing my hands to my face. I hear him shift and then his arms finally wrap around me, solid and safe. I lean into him, feeling exhausted and needing the comfort he's offering. I sit there and cry for a while, Eight gently stroking my hair the whole time and murmuring soothing words in my ear. Soon, I begin to calm down once more.

"Make peace with her. You'll regret it otherwise" he advises me after a while. He winds locks of my hair around his fingers.

"It won't ever be the same with her" I say. He sighs and brushes my cheek, his touch sending sparks through me.

"It never would have been, even if she had lived" he replies. "But you have a second chance with her, Marina. Don't waste it" he says. I nod and close my eyes, leaning against his chest.

"Since when did you get so wise?" I ask, my voice still thick with tears. I feel him smile against my hair and my mood lightens. He manages to have this effect on me.

"I've always been wise, you just haven't noticed" he replies. I smile and then sigh.

"I guess I should go and apologise to her" I say, trying to stand up. Eight's arms lock around me and I can't move at all. I laugh and push his arm.

"Eight! I need to go at some point!" I protest as he pulls me back into the circle of his arms. He smiles and looks down at me affectionately. I feel my resolve crumble in response and I settle in comfortably.

"I said make peace with her but you don't have to do it right away. Stay here for a bit; we won't get much time together when we meet the others again" he persuades. I grin and shrug, not upset by his argument at all.

"Well, if you insist" I say, leaning back into his arms. I enjoy the warmth of his embrace and I trace my fingers along his arm and smile when I see him tense slightly. Looks like i'm not the only one who is affected by the other. He gently kisses my hair and my eyes flutter close in happiness.

Despite being in the middle of a war, I've never felt more at peace.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed. I didn't actually realise until i'd finished the chapter, that there was loads of couple fluff in it. Sorry but don't worry, action starts soon.

So, please review :D


	36. Chapter 36

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies...

Hi guys,

Firstly, a huge thanks for all the reviews! They are lovely and I'm really glad that you guys enjoy my story. Please keep up the support!

Also, if you haven't checked out my other story 'It's the Little things that count', I've updated recently with a Nine/Five one-shot. If you have looked at it and reviewed, a massive thanks. Next update should be in a couple of days.

Soon DarkseidShrike will be posting the story : 'The Fall of Five: United we Stand'. You guys have _got _to read it; I've seen some scenes and wow, its good. So once that's out don't hesitate to read and review!

**Don't worry, Henri's back soon!**

So, read on and enjoy...

* * *

John

I dodge the dagger hurled at me and rip my sword through the mog's stomach. It groans and falls to its' knees. I deal it a death blow in the head and it explodes to dust.

I stand up and take a look around. I can't see Six so I assume she's invisible and dealing out death to the mogs. Two is nearby, shooting a steady stream of bullets at the mogs. She's an excellent shot which is coming in handy and especially will when we meet up with the others.

There are at least 100 more mogs. They sent a huge army to deal with us but they didn't estimate my rage and Six's ability. I've been a machine, ripping through mogs without thinking. The pain of Sarah's death has suddenly come back to haunt me and the only way I can get rid of it is through revenge.

Another mog charges at me but I easily deflect the blow with my sword and stab it through the heart. I feel like Nine, enjoying every mog death. I know how he felt; we have to revenge everything they've ever done to us.

I aim a huge fireball at a group of mogs in the distance and release it. It's on them before they realise and they scream as the flames engulf them. I don't feel any twinge of guilt, instead I feel joy.

There's something wrong with me.

More mogs continue to charge at me but I senselessly kill them all. I stab, shoot, crush and the numbers slowly diminish. I see Two staring at me stunned as I continue to wreck havoc amongst the enemy.

I smile at the taste of ash in my mouth.

There's only about 30 left; Six has come along to help me fight against them. She's also incredible, fighting with an ease and grace that you only achieve after years of training. I'm so mesmerised by her I don't notice the mog creeping up on me until i'm stabbed in the side.

I cry out and fall to the ground, holding my side. I hear Six cry my name but I have other things to worry about. The mog stands over me, laughing at me until it explodes into dust. Two stands next to me, gun in hand. I try to smile but find myself slipping away.

"Two! The stone!" I hear Six order. Two nods next to me and rummages in my backpack. I want to be annoyed that she's looking through my stuff but I can't find it in me to speak. I feel too weak.

Six rushes over and snatches the bag from Two, rifling through it much quicker. She looks scared and I realise she's worried about me. I try and tell her not to worry but I can't speak very well and anything I do say is incomprehensible.

"Shoot them!" she orders Two, who nods shakily and stands up slowly. "Hurry!" Six snaps at her. Two pales but continues to mow down the mogs with her bullets.

Six leans over me, stone in her hand and presses it to my wound. I gasp and ball my fists up at the sudden surge of pain I experience. I groan and close my eyes, trying not to cry from the pain. I feel a soft touch stroking my cheek and I know Six is trying to help me through the pain. Despite my intense feelings for her, it doesn't help.

Eventually, the pain disappears and i'm up again, ready with my sword. Six jumps back, shocked at my ferocity as I throw myself into the fight once more. I have one goal: to kill all the mogs I can.

I rip through another mog and it screams in pain before it explodes into ash. There are only 20 or so left; none of them are good enough to beat us. I laugh as I see some run away from me but i'm too fast. I race ahead of them and cut them down in their tracks.

I see a couple of agents nearby also try and leave but I won't let them. Agents helped kill Sarah; agents ruined her life. I sprint to them and grab one by the neck. He screams in panic but I snap his neck before he can be helped. Another man aims at me with his gun but I laugh and rip his gun away with telekinesis and shoot him with it.

There are only two agents left, a middle-aged man and a young woman. She's crying with her hands in the air and I would feel sorry for her but her fair hair reminds me of Sarah. I harden my heart and am about to shoot her when Six appears next to me. She grabs my arms and wrenches them behind my back in a vice-like grip. I struggle but she's so much stronger than me.

"Stop, John! This is enough!" she hisses in my ear. The two agents turn and flee but Six won't let me follow. I growl in anger and annoyance but she doesn't let me go.

"Stop this! This isn't you!" she cries desperately. I stop struggling and fall limp, trying to trick her. She falls for it and lets go of me in surprise when I use my chance. I'm up in my feet and begin to race after the two agents when my feet sink into the ground and i'm fastened in place by rock.

"Six! Let me go!" I shout angrily. She must have used her element legacy. I see Two nearby, scared. I glare at her and she cowers even more.

"John, this isn't you" Six pleads, standing in front of me. There's some part acknowledging that she's right but the rest of me doesn't care.

"I'm warning you Six" I threaten. She shakes her head but I see tears in her eyes.

"John-" she begins but I don't let her finish. I grab her arm and drag her towards me, twisting her around in the process. Her back's pressed against my chest with my sword to her throat.

"NO!" Two screams leaping forwards. I hear Six gasp in shock as the blade presses closer and blood trickles down her neck.

"John please" she whispers. I need to let her go and calm down, some part of me realises but the rest of me ignores it. I focus on the bloodlust raging in me.

"Let me go Six. I don't want to hurt you" I warn. I feel the ground give way from my ankles and I can move again. I shove Six to the floor and am about to continue after the agents but they've disappeared. They've gone.

"You let them go!" I roar turning to Six. She stares up at me, resolute.

"There's something wrong with you John. This isn't you" she says, staring at me concerned and scared. She's right but I feel this iron strong grip over my actions. I can't stop what i'm doing.

"You IDIOT!" I scream at Six, dragging her up by the arm. She doesn't fight back, too stunned by everything that i'm doing.

I raise my sword in my hand and see alarm feature on Six's face as it swings towards her. I can't stop the blade from moving and I know it will hit her, will kill her. I'm being controlled by someone else, i'm sure of it, but I can't help myself.

The sword swings down to catch Six but it never falls. Two leaps forward and grabs my arm, ripping the sword from me in my moment of shock. Without thinking, I backhand her and she goes skidding across the floor, unconscious.

"Two!" Six cries out. I still have a grip on her arm so she can't go over to make sure Two's ok.

"John, please stop this" she whispers to me, stroking my face. I can feel the iron grip on my mind but I can't fight it. I'm too weak.

"I can't" I gasp out, my strength being sapped. I feel sweat on my brow and my breathing quickens.

"Try" she whispers.

I concentrate on everything I care about: Six, the Garde, BK, Sam, Henri... I imagine them all in one place with me, all of us alive and well. I think about everything that matters to me, everything that can give me strength. I fight back against the will controlling mine.

Suddenly, the iron control over my thoughts disappears and I collapse to the ground, weak and panting. Six smiles in relief and kneels next to me, still touching my face.

"What happened?" she asks gently, brushing hair out of my eyes. I sob and lean into her shoulder. She wraps her arms around me and kisses my forehead.

"I think it was Setrakus... he had control of me somehow, though I don't know how. He's so strong... I couldn't fight back" I reply. She nods and I fall silent in her arms.

I feel terrible for what I've done but I know it wasn't me doing it. My main fear is how much control Setrakus has. How can we beat someone who can control minds from states away?

"Come on, we need to go" she says eventually, pulling me to my feet. I nod shakily and then lift Two over to me with telekinesis. I place her in my arms and she falls limp against me, still unconscious. I feel awful for hitting her and I hope she'll forgive me. Six smiles at me and all at once, I feel a million times better.

As long as I have her, everything will be ok.

Xxx

Five

I sit on the sand in Texas, frustrated tears streaming down my face. My lips are still burning from the kiss Nine and I shared and I can still feel his hands running along my arms. I shiver and wrap my arms closer around myself, trying to forget out it.

Which is going very badly, by the way.

I'm completely in love with him. If I hadn't realised that before, I certainly know it now. Our kiss has revealed the knowledge that had been trying to break out inside of me. I lean my head on my knees and sob. Why did he have to do that?

I know separating us is the best option otherwise our feelings will be used against us. The idiot just doesn't seem to realise that i'm trying to help us, not make things worse. But he had to kiss me, make me lose control over my actions. He's not stupid at all; he knows exactly what he's doing.

And I don't know how long I can resist him.

I look down at the ground and gently draw in the dirt with my finger. I notice i'm drawing the number nine over and over and I quickly rub it away. I can't leave any sign, even one as small as that. Nothing should ever be left behind by one is us.

"Well, what do we have here?" my head snaps up and I jump up, reaching for my dagger at the sudden noise. Mogs surround me and I had been so preoccupied with Nine and my crying, I hadn't noticed. Why am I so stupid?!

I scrabble around for my knife when I realise with horror that I left it behind in the hotel room. I assumed I'd be safe with Nine. Fear sets in me and I take a couple of steps back. The lead mog grins cruelly and loads his gun slowly, taking his time. I take a deep breath and try to calm my nerves. I have to be in control; I can take on these mogs easily if I concentrate.

I focus my element legacy in me and throw a fireball at a couple of mogs. They scream and try to jump out of the way but I manipulate the fire into a stream which follows them. They die pretty quickly once the fire catches them. Another mog slams into me and we fall to the ground. I roll out of the way and sweep the legs out from under another mog and it cries out, lying on the ground stunned. I bring a rock down onto its' temple and it explodes into ash in seconds. I grab its' sword and stand up. Now the real fight begins.

Another mog jumps for me but I step out the way easily. I swing my sword round and into its' back and another one bites the dust. I grin at the irony of that statement and I see a couple of mogs shrink back. They underestimated me before but now they know i'm a real threat. Good.

I focus on the ground beneath a small group of mogs and allow the earth to move up and wrap around their feet. They scream in panic as their ankles are sucked into the ground and they can't move at all. I kill them pretty quickly after that.

I turn to the rest of the mogs who have decided retreat is the best way to go. I never give them that chance. I'm on them before they can run off; dust filling my mouth and covering my skin once i'm done. I turn around waiting for others to come but nothing does. I breathe a sigh of relief and push my hair from my eyes.

I need to get to the others and warn them of the threat. I hope they weren't attacked by mogs. I turn to go.

"Nicely done, but can you take me on?" I hear the cold voice say and my blood turns to ice. My heartbeat temporarily stops but then picks up, even quicker than before. I close my eyes in resignation.

"Setrakus" I say, turning around. He stands there, a smug smile on his face and holding his whip and cane. He grins at my look of horror.

"Number Five. We finally meet in person" he says grandly. I swallow and want to step back but my pride won't let me. I won't be weak.

I don't speak and his grin increases. I stare at him, scared out of my mind. I'm not ready for this fight; i'm not Pittacus. I'm just tired and hungry and my weapons are too far away. I'm not prepared for this fight and I know I'll lose. I could turn invisible and run away but he'll track me with mind control.

I have no option but to hope that he won't kill me.

He swings his cane and a blue electricity races out of it. It hits me and I fly away, landing stunned a fair distance away. I groan and prop myself up on my hands and knees, my hair hanging around my face. I hear him laugh and I try and use my element legacy on him.

It doesn't work. He's taken my legacies.

I panic and scramble up onto my feet, my hands shaking from fear. He's in front of me now and smirks when he sees my horrified expression.

"What did you do?" I ask, my voice a whisper. He smiles lazily and takes a step closer. In response, I stumble back and trip over a stone. He laughs as I crawl back.

"You're pathetic you know. I'm ashamed to call you my heir. I had thought about keeping you on once I've destroyed the human population but now..." he says, his eyes glinting with hatred.

Fury fills me. Nobody _ever_ calls me pathetic. With a cry, I lunge up and aim my sword at his neck. He ducks but looks a bit shaken. I swing the sword again and it catches his leg, causing blood to pour down his leg. I watch astonished and then horrified as his wound closes up.

"Maybe you're not so weak after all..." he says, smiling. He got the reaction he wanted, yet I don't care anymore. All I can think about is escape.

He swings his cane around and I duck. Our weapons clash as they meet over my head, Setrakus pushing down on them. I begin to crumble under the extreme pressure and I duck and roll. He grunts and falls forward, having leant his whole weight on me. I stand up and kick his legs out from underneath him and he falls.

I breathe a sigh of relief and am about to run off when something cold and sharp wraps around my ankle. I cry out and fall down as my feet are tugged out from under me. Setrakus scowls and wipes blood from his mouth as he stands over me, whip in his hand.

He brings it up after unwrapping it from my ankle with a twist. Before I can move, he lifts it up and then brings it down on me. It hits my torso hard and the end catches my face. I scream from the pain without thinking and he begins laughing. The pain is excruciating; I can't help but cry out.

"NINE!" I scream, praying he'll hear me. He's got heightened hearing so hopefully he will. If he's not too far away.

Setrakus laughs again and lifts the whip up, delivering another agonising blow to my body. I remember Six saying black rock appeared after he did that to her, but he must have disabled that power because nothing happens. Maybe he just wants to torture me instead of incapacitate me.

It's working pretty well.

"You're weak and an embarrassment to Lorien. Why you were chosen to become an heir of an elder, I'll never know." Setrakus mocks. He brings up the whip again and I wince, waiting for the blow. I close my eyes as it begins to fall but it never hits. I open my eyes quickly and stare in shock.

"Nine" I whisper as he wrestles with Setrakus for the whip. Nine's the only one strong enough, fast enough to take on Setrakus. He must have heard me call and would have come to save me, no matter what. I kick at Setrakus' feet and he goes down, giving Nine the advantage. I stand up and grab the sword I dropped earlier. Nine looks at me grimly and then Setrakus is up again, continuing the battle with Nine.

It's amazing to watch. They're both as deadly and fast as the other; moving in motions too fast for me to see. I can tell that they're both equal fighters which makes me relieved that Nine isn't being defeated.

How wrong I was.

There's a shout and then I see Nine fall down, clutching a wound in his leg. I run over to him and stand over him, my sword in front of me. Nine manages to stand up behind me but it's clear he needs help.

"You can't win" Setrakus taunts. He lashes for me with his cane but I swing my sword up to catch the blow. The shock jars my arm but I stay put. I grimace as he begins to push the blades closer to my face like he did earlier but Nine throws a kick at Setrakus' stomach. The blades fall away and I stumble back, my arm muscles screaming in pain.

The next couple of things happen very quickly yet I remember it all with painstaking detail. Setrakus swings his cane at me and I duck to avoid. As i'm distracted, he then flicks his whip so that it curls around Nine's arm, who is dragged forward. I try to lunge up and grab him but Setrakus gets him before I can. Nine's face stares at me, shocked and confused as I cry out his name.

They disappear.

I stand in the desert all by myself, staring at the place where they last where. There had been rumours that Setrakus had every legacy like Pittacus but this proves it. He just teleported with Nine. He took Nine away from me.

"No" I whisper in shock at what just happened. I look around desperately, hoping for some trick. But it's real; Nine is gone.

"No" I whimper, tears in my eyes. I had never imagined losing Nine, he was the one constant in my life recently.

Tears stream down my face and I run my hands through my hair in dismay. I feel terrible; distraught and in pain from losing Nine go. It's my fault, I should have done more.

"NO!" I shout, flinging the mog sword I borrowed away into the desert, anger and despair filling me.

I wish Nine were here. I need him now more than ever which is ironic considering i'm beside myself over his disappearance.

I just have to believe that Setrakus won't kill Nine. He'll use him as bait instead. I try to suppress the emotional pain inside me but it's too strong.

I was weak. I let him get captured.

I turn on my heel and race back to the hotel. I need to get the others and then we can save Nine. We have no other choice; I won't rest until Nine is safe. I won't leave him alone with Setrakus for longer than necessary.

And if Setrakus hurts him, I swear he won't live long enough to regret it.

Xxx

Eight

"Ok, now carefully aim your hands towards the target" Adelina instructs me. We're in a random field near enough to Chicago. We'll be there tomorrow and I can't wait to see the others. I'll show off my new legacy to them, which will show Nine not to mess with me.

We decided to do a bit of training because my master legacy can still be temperamental. Adelina's been really useful and shown me how to control it. She's definitely improved as a Cepan. I know she and Marina had a small talk after their argument and have begun to sort things out but things are nowhere near fixed between them.

"What do I do now?" I ask Adelina through gritted teeth. It's hard holding this level of power back and i'm sweating from the effort.

"Release it" she instructs. I breathe a sigh of relief and the fire shoots from my hands and hits the target we set up. I feel tired from the sudden lack of energy but I know my legacy is improving. I can control it so much better than before.

"Much better" she says as I turn to her. I smile and run a hand through my hair. I'll need to cut it again soon; maybe Marina can do that for me. I'm sure she'd do a better job than I ever would.

"Right, I think you need a break; we've done enough for one day" she says, smiling at me kindly. I stretch my arms back as we begin to walk back to Marina and the others, who are waiting at the end of the isolated field. She's sitting on the hood of the car and eating an apple. She laughs at something Adam says and I find my heart flutter at the sight of her.

"Thank you for talking with her... to convince her to forgive me" Adelina says to me. I smile and shrug my shoulders.

"It's all right. She'd regret it otherwise" I say. She nods and we both look at Marina. She smiles and waves at us when she sees us looking. I grin back at her and my pace increases slightly so I can get to her quicker.

"You really love her, don't you?" Adelina says to me. I blush at her piercing gaze but I nod.

"Who couldn't?" I reply to her. She smiles and looks away, silently agreeing with me.

We reach the others and I automatically go to Marina, leaning on the hood next to her. Adam grins at me from where he's standing and I smile back. He's a good guy and i'm glad he's on our team. He's a strong fighter and really helped me get out of that base alive. I'm not sure all of us would be here today if it weren't for him.

"So, how was practice?" he asks me. I groan and drop my head onto Marina's shoulder. She laughs but doesn't push me off.

"Hard work. You have no idea how much control you need for a master legacy" I complain. Marina smirks and taps her head.

"Oh I do. Remember, I got mine first" she says cheekily. According to Adelina, mind control is Marina's master legacy and it's likely it could be Five's too. That means the Garde are almost fully developed; we just need to learn to control our legacies. So now Setrakus will be trying even harder to catch and kill us.

"You're supposed to pity me, not make me feel inferior" I say, pouting and making my eyes wide. She laughs again and kisses my forehead. I lighten inwardly but try to remain pitiful on the outside.

"Hmm, I don't know. What do you think?" she asks, looking at Adelina, who shakes her head and grins at Marina.

"Don't feel sorry for him; he needs to man up" she says. The others all laugh and then I turn to Marina.

"Why won't you defend me? You're supposed to be my girlfriend" I moan. She grins and ruffles my hair.

"Fight your own battles" she teases. I sigh mournfully and Marina rolls her eyes. I hop up onto the hood next to her and take her apple from her, taking a bite out of it in the process.

"Hey! That's mine" she protests. I grin and continue to eat it in exaggerated bites.

"You didn't feel sorry for me so now I don't feel sorry for you" I reply. She smiles but doesn't reach back for her apple. I stick my tongue out at her and she rolls her eyes.

"Mature Eight, very mature" she says. I grin and take her hand.

"What's going on?" Three mutters sleepily, getting out of the car. He's been asleep the whole time and it's a shame he can't stay that way. I try not to scowl and Marina shoots a warning glare at me.

"Be nice" she warns me in a whisper. I sigh but smile at Three anyway, trying not to make it look fake. It's not that he's a bad guy; in fact he's really nice. The problem is, he's idolised Marina ever since he realised she saved him. I know she's the first Loric girl he's met and yeah, I guess she is pretty amazing, but does he really have to have a massive crush on her? Especially when she's going out with me.

Not that I've made that clear to him, obviously...

"How was your sleep?" Adam asks Three, winking at me. He thinks this is all hilarious and I suppose I would find it funny too if it were happening to Nine or John.

"It was ok I guess. Just kept on dreaming about my Cepan" he says, his face dropping at the end. I feel sympathy for him; dealing with the death of your Cepan _is_ hard, I'll give him that.

"Don't worry, it gets better with time" I tell him. He smiles at me and I find myself doing the same, unable to be harsh to him.

"Yeah, and soon we'll almost all be together again" Marina says. Three's eyes light up a little when she talks to him and I suppress a groan. Instead I focus on the conversation at hand.

"When will we get to Chicago?" I ask Adelina, who's studying a map. She looks up absently and then smiles at me.

"Tomorrow, if all goes well" she replies. I nod and then hop down from the hood.

"Walk with me?" I ask Marina. She grins and jumps down next to me. We link hands and I can't help but notice the glint of jealousy in Three's eyes. I smile to myself at that; she's mine, not his.

We get some distance away, out of the others' eyesight and hearing range when I begin to relax properly. We're under a couple of trees so it's pretty private which is nice. I haven't spent enough time with her recently and I've missed being alone with her.

I pull her to me and wrap my arms around her waist, resting my hands on her lower back. She smiles and leans into me, her hands placed on my chest with her chin propped up on them. Strands of hair frame her face, gently blowing in the wind. She couldn't look any more beautiful to me than she does now.

"Ugh, why does Three have to like you in that way?" I moan, finally able to complain about it freely. She grins and shoves my arm lightly.

"Aw, can't take the competition, huh?" she teases. I roll my eyes.

"I would so win; he wouldn't stand a chance" I brag. She laughs and shakes her head.

"Why do guys always get so protective?" she mutters.

"Hey!" I protest, although it's true in my case. It's not my fault she's perfect. She smiles gently, probably read my mind, and reaches us to brush some hair out of my eyes. I relax immediately and smile at her.

"It's cute" she says. "And it makes a girl feel appreciated" she says. I laugh.

"I always make you feel special" I protest again. To prove a point, I lean down and kiss her, cutting off her argument. She doesn't resist at all.

Our lips move together slowly and wonderfully. There's really nothing like kissing the girl you love. She smiles against my mouth as I pull her closer and run my hands through her silky hair. Her arms wrap around my neck, tangling in the curls at the nape of my neck.

I'm not sure how long we kiss for. It's our first proper one in ages; we don't like making out in front of the others, especially not Adelina. When we're both desperate for air, I pull away but still want to taste her skin. I kiss down her neck as she gasps and tips her neck back a bit, giving me better access. I gently kiss the spot just under her jaw, when she pulls my mouth back up to hers and we continue our smouldering kiss.

We eventually pull away but don't step out of our embrace. I gently stroke her cheek and she blushes. She always turns red when I do that, even after dating for over a month; she's still shy around me. It's sweet and one of the many reasons I love her.

"Bet Three can't do that" I say smugly about our kiss and her reaction to it. She laughs and moves away but takes a hold of my hand. We begin to walk back to the others but very slowly.

"Really? You're never going to stop now" she complains. I grin at her and she softens, smiling at me affectionately.

"You love it" I say. She shrugs.

"I love you and since you insist on being jealous, I guess I'll have to live with it" she says, grinning at the end.

"I'm not jealous... just competitive" I argue. She rolls her eyes.

"Right, sure you aren't. You know maybe Three isn't such a bad idea, I bet he wouldn't be like this..." she teases.

I stop and pull her close again, mock glaring down at her. She grins cheekily back.

"I'm going to have to stop this once and for all" I say decisively, trying not to smile. She laughs and raises an eyebrow.

"Oh right, how will you do that?" she asks, ever so sweetly. I grin mischievously and bend down, brushing our lips together so that they're almost touching. Her lips tremble slightly and I smile.

"This" I whisper against her lips and she reaches up to close the distance.

* * *

So, what do you think's going to happen to Nine? And was John being taken over by Setrakus or was it someone else?

Please review!


	37. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies... :(

Hi guys!

A huge thank you for the response to the last chapter. Since I'm in exam season at the moment, every bit of support is so wonderful and really helps me write these chapters. So thank you all so much!

Also, for those who haven't noticed, I have a new chapter for my other story :) for those who've reviewed, thank you so much!

**So this chapter is a bit slow tempo, but I promise that action starts very soon. This is the calm before the storm. Also, a certain someone might make an appearance...**

So read on and enjoy!

* * *

Six

"Almost there. Man, I hope Nine doesn't kill us for being so long" John says next to me.

We haven't cleaned up after our recent battle and his clothes are covered in blood. He had been a beast in the fight and I had been both proud and scared. When Setrakus controlled him, he hadn't been the boy I love; he'd been something else completely. Fortunately, he's back to normal now.

"Oh he will, trust me" I reply. John grins and squeezes my hand. I feel my heart leap when he looks into my eyes and I blush, looking away. He still has this affect on me.

"How long have you been gone then?" Two asks from the back seat. We're 40 minutes away from Nine's safe house and we're all really excited. I can't wait to see Marina and just hang around with her as well as the others. However, I dread meeting with Sam because I know he still likes me and I still like him as well.

That will be fun.

"Um, about three weeks I think" John replies. I shake my head amazed.

"So much has happened since then" I say. He nods and grins at me.

"But we're together now and we have Two!" he says happily. He doesn't mention Sarah; I know he still misses her and thinking of her hurts him.

"I'm not that special" Two mutters from the back. She has almost no confidence but she should. We're one stronger because of her and now we're more of a threat.

"Of course you are. Not only are we one person stronger than before but it's a sign that Lorien is awake and on our side. It means everything" I reply. She smiles timidly and I grin back at her. I hope she doesn't feel as intimidated around Marina or Ella. Five and Nine are a completely different story.

"Right, the first thing i'm going to do is order a pizza when I get there" John says wistfully. I nod.

"Definitely. When was the last time we had a proper meal?"I ask. He shrugs and grins at me.

"Way too long ago" he says. I laugh and lean my head back. The horrible thing about looking forward to something is the waiting. It just drags on. I can't wait to see the others and catch up. I've missed them so much, even Five and Nine's arguing.

I close my eyes and think of everything that happened since I last saw them. We destroyed the base in England, saved Two but Sarah was killed. John and I got together, _finally_, and we recently destroyed an airport.

"Right, we'll get out here" John says, parking the car half an hour later. I jump out, nerves and excitement running riot through me. Fortunately, it's night so no one can see our appearances. That would be hard to explain, blood and ash all over our clothes.

I grab their hands and we turn invisible anyway, just to be sure. We go along the route to the John Hancock Centre, all of us tense with anticipation.

"I can't believe I missed Nine so much" I whisper to John. I hear him chuckle back and he squeezes my hand.

"Same" he replies. I grin as we enter the building. It's pretty easy to get to the elevator, despite the security, and before we know it, we're travelling towards the top.

"Oh god, i'm so nervous" Two whispers next to me. She's pale and looks fragile but I know her well enough to know she's as hard as iron on the inside.

"You'll be fine" I whisper back. She smiles at me gratefully.

We reach the top and the doors open. For the past day, I've been imagining Nine to be slouched on the sofa, flicking through TV channels whilst Five hangs over him, having a go at him over something small. I imagined Marina and Eight curled up next to each other on the opposite sofa, laughing at their own private joke. Adam would be in the kitchen eating more food and Ella would be hanging around with Eight and Marina, joining in now and then.

Instead, it's a completely different scene. The whole dining room table is covered in papers and books, a few mugs scattered around. The only people in here are Sam and Malcolm, who are leaning over the table. BK was lying on the sofa but as we entered the room, he jumped up.

"BK!" John cries out, as his chimaera runs over to him, barking happily. They roll over on another and I bet they're having their own private chat. Malcolm turns round and grins when he sees us.

"Six!" I turn and see Sam walking over to us. I grin and we hug quickly. I've missed him so much; he's such an awesome friend and he always makes me laugh. He doesn't seem awkward around me at all, which is a huge relief. I had been worried about how he might react about John and I.

"Where are the others?" I ask him. He shrugs.

"No idea. They've been gone as long as you" he says. I frown but nod. They must have found stuff to do when they were in their destinations. I hope they're ok.

"Anyway, Six you'll never guess who-" he begins to say but is interrupted by another man walking into the room. My jaw drops.

"Henri?" I ask, stunned. He's supposed to be dead. How is this possible?

John looks up and pales when he sees his Cepan. "W-what?" he gasps. There's a small silence, both Henri and John staring at each other, Henri with a proud look. I'm sure this is Henri; there's a feeling inside me that just tells me this is the truth, that this isn't a trick by Setrakus.

"Some of the Cepan returned. The ones who dead recently anyway" Sam explains to me. John suddenly cries out and then runs to Henri. They throw their arms around each other in a huge hug and I turn away, tears in my eyes.

Katarina won't be coming back then. The pain I feel is pretty intense but I quickly suppress it. I'll cry later when i'm by myself. Sam smiles at me sadly and I feel better. He knows i'm hurting over my Cepan but as the good friend he is, he doesn't say anything.

"I can't believe you're alive" I hear John whisper to Henri. My throat tightens but I refuse to show weakness.

"Hi Henri" I call. He looks up and grins at me.

"Six, good to see you again" he says. He then looks confused. "Where's Sarah?" he asks. John's face falls and I know he can't answer this one.

"She died in England" I reply. Sam sucks in a deep breath next to me and I see Henri shake his head sadly.

"What happened?" Sam whispers to me. I feel John's gaze on me and I shake my head at Sam, a signal to tell him later. John doesn't need any more reminders.

"I'm sorry" Henri says. John nods but still looks thrilled to see his Cepan. Nothing can ruin this moment for him. We share a grin and I feel my heart clench at the sight of his eyes gazing fondly at me. Henri must sense that something is going on between us two because he smirks and raises an eyebrow. John of course blushes and gives it all away.

"This is Two" I say, trying to cause a distraction. Two squares her shoulders and smiles timidly, stepping forward. The others, except John and I of course, look shocked.

"You mean, you were always alive? I could have sworn you died; the scars proved it" Henri says confused. Two shakes her head and takes a deep breath. Bless her, she's so nervous.

"Lorien saved me. I did die but I was bought back to life by Lorien. Then John healed me and I was fully restored" she explains. Henri's jaw drops.

"You can heal?" he asks John, who nods proudly.

"Yeah, but not as well as Marina" he says. I laugh at Henri's increasingly confused expression.

"Number Seven" I clarify. Henri nods and whistles.

"Looks like I've missed a lot" he says.

"Understatement of the year" John says, grinning at his Cepan.

Xxx

We've been hanging around for two hours and already I can understand why Sam and the others were getting frustrated. It's horrible not knowing exactly when the others will arrive; how much longer will we have to wait?

I lie on the sofa, John's arm around me whilst we watch the TV. Henri is nearby, grinning at John and I as the two talk about everything that's happened. He seems to think it's cute we're going out but it's simply embarrassing for me. John and I are being watched all the time by either Henri or Sam; I can't kiss John without feeling self-conscious.

The elevator pings and i'm on my feet immediately. Either we're being attacked by mogs or some of the others have arrived. John and I race to the door, Henri behind us. The others station themselves in the apartment, in case it is an attack. We can never be too sure.

The doors open and I lunge forward to grab someone. I hear a yelp and I find myself holding a very surprised looking 14 year old boy with tanned skin and black hair. He stares at me stunned and I stare back confused when I hear unmistakable laughter.

"Eight?" I ask. He appears in front of me and I hug him instantly, letting go of the other boy. I have missed Eight's cheerful personality _so_ _much_! Sometimes, John can be a bit angsty and it is fun to have someone happy around.

"Hey Six" he replies. I see John hugging Adam and Henri walking off towards the main apartment; probably to warn the others not to attack anyone. It wouldn't be great for one of the Garde to be shot.

"Missed us?" I turn and see Marina stand next to me smiling. She looks tired and like me, her clothes are worn and dirty. Nonetheless, I grin and hug her too, having missed her more than anyone else. We can tell the other anything and not receive any judgement, just like sisters can.

"You have no idea" I reply. She pulls back and studies me, probably noticing how happy I am.

"Ok, what happened? Since when are you so cheerful?" she says. I laugh and push her arm.

"Rude! I'm always happy" I counter. She simply raises her eyebrow at me. I sigh but continue "But ok, I might have finally gotten with John" I say. She squeals and hugs me again, me laughing at her reaction. I see John greeting Adam and Eight and our eyes meet. I feel my heart leap and he winks at me. My cheeks go red and I look away.

"That's so cute! And about time!" she says. I grin and shrug.

"But how did Sarah take the news?" she asks as we head back to the lounge where everyone seems to be. I sigh sadly.

"She died in England, that's where we went by the way. She took a bullet for me" I explain. Marina nods and then squeezes my arm, a sad expression on her face.

"That's so sad. I hope John's ok" Marina says. I nod but look away from her gaze.

"Yeah, he's coping. It still hurts; she was his first love after all" I say. She nods.

"I suppose, but he loves you much more than he ever loved her" she says. I smile and shrug, pleased to hear that.

"So, anyway, what's happened with you?" I ask. She grins.

"So much. You have no idea what we've done. But first, meet Adelina" she says, gesturing for a woman of around 50 to come forwards. She has deep brown hair and a timid expression but she walks towards us nonetheless. Marina smiles encouragingly at her.

"This is my Cepan, Adelina. And this is Six" Marina introduces us both. I realise that Adelina must have been one of the Cepan to return and I feel the familiar pang to know that it wasn't Katarina. I also know that Marina had problems with her Cepan, so i'm unsure about how happy Marina truly is about this development.

"You don't seem surprised that I have my Cepan back" Marina remarks as we shake hands. I smile at her.

"John's Cepan, Henri, returned. He's already explained everything to us" I tell her. Her face lights up.

"Oh good. To be honest, i'm not sure how to explain it either. It's a miracle" she says. She doesn't ask where mine is. I'm sure she already knows.

Eight comes up to us and takes Marina's hand, grinning at both of us. I roll my eyes; nothing's changed between those two then. Eight laughs at my expression and I smile back; I feel so happy today, nothing can spoil my mood.

"Have you told them about...?" he asks Marina quietly. She rolls her eyes.

"Give me time. I was just about to" she replies. Eight laughs again and she turns to me, unable to hide her grin.

"And, well this is Three" she says, gesturing to the poor guy I sort of tackled. Number Three. I had hoped that he could return if Two did, but it's still amazing to meet him. There are nine of us now plus the Cepan. We'll be a lot harder to beat now.

Three comes forward and nervously shakes my hand. I don't blame him, I was quite hard in my attack.

"Three, this is Six" Adam explains, joining us. We grin at each other; i'm glad he's alive, he's a nice guy. We're all stood in a big group and John takes my hand next to me. I avoid Eight's humorous gaze and concentrate on the conversation.

"You don't seem shocked about that either. Does anything surprise you?" Marina asks sighing. I laugh and shake my head.

"Well, you see while you saved Three, we saved Two" I reply.

At this, Two steps forward shyly and stands next to me. Marina smiles at her kindly, despite her astonishment, and I see Two loosen up a bit already. I knew that Marina would be the kindest to her, that's just her personality. Thank god Nine and Five aren't here yet; I would not want to meet either of those two at first. They can be intimidating.

"Hi, nice to meet you" Eight says, shaking Two's hand after Marina does. Two nods and smiles at them, still blushing.

"Thanks" she whispers in return. Three smiles at her and she smiles back. I guess those two will be able to relate to each other more than we can.

"All right, so this is a mess. How will we fit everyone in the apartment?" I say, exasperated. John shrugs next to me.

"Let's hope Five and Nine didn't resurrect anyone else" he mutters. I grin at him and then go over to one of the couches. I see Henri and Adelina talking with Three and Two, whilst Adam goes to join Sam.

"Ugh god, i'm so tired" I complain, lying back onto the couch. Marina and Eight stretch out on the couch, Marina leaning back against Eight. John sits next to me and wraps an arm around my shoulders so I lean into him more. Two and Three sit down next to each other, still nervous.

"Same. I haven't had a proper sleep in ages" Marina says as Eight absently plays with her hair. Three looks a little jealous at that and I guess he must a little crush on Marina. Interesting.

And completely hilarious.

"What have you guys been doing then?" John asks, gently running his fingers over my forearm. Goosebumps appear on my skin and he smirks but I ignore him and his smugness.

"Well, we ended up in Egypt at first" Eight begins to explain. "Long story short, it was a two day walk back to civilisation. We got to Luxor and then realised our ship was there" he continues. I perk up, interested.

"Did you find the ship?" I ask. That's a great discovery but then I see Marina frown.

"We were ambushed by mogs. We only realised later we had a tracking device on our chests. Once we'd defeated them, one of the mogs said something about Kenya and I read his mind and saw there was a base there" she says. Eight continues.

"So, we teleported there and found the base. It was a trap because the place was almost deserted; only three mogs left. They confirmed Three was alive so we killed them and were about to go when we were attacked" he says. I nod along, intrigued as to what they got up to.

"We managed to escape only because Eight gained his master legacy and-" Marina says but I interrupt.

"You got your master legacy?" I ask envious and impressed. Eight nods.

"Oooh, show us!" John begs. I laugh at his childlike expression of eagerness.

Eight bites his lip but after a nod from Marina, he holds one of his hands up. A bright light shoots out from his hand and hits the vase on the coffee table. It's ash in seconds. I stare at him, stunned and nervous at the level of power that legacy possesses.

"Oh, wow. You must be able to kill a lot of mogs with that" I say. Eight grins and nods.

"Yeah, it's come in handy. So, we went to Canada, where the base was for some reason, and then Marina _had _to save Three, which was pretty damn stupid considering" he says with an eye roll. I grin.

"Got pretty tired huh?" John asks. Eight snorts.

"She almost died" he replies. Marina hits his arm.

"I knew I could do it, idiot, otherwise I wouldn't have done it. I'm not suicidal" she says. I laugh at Eight as he pretends to be upset by his girlfriend snapping at him. Marina rolls her eyes and continues. "Anyway, we saved Three and then Adelina came to pick us up. We then came straight here, although we took our time"

"Wow, you did a lot. More than we did; we only went to one different country" I say. John grins and nods.

"Yeah, ended up in England; decided to visit the base where they tracked Two and then we went there. We saved Two but-" he stops and looks down, clearly revisiting Sarah's death. I squeeze his hand.

"Then Sarah died" I finish. Eight smiles grimly.

"Sorry about that, we know she meant a lot to you" he says. I notice his grip tighten on Marina and she snuggle closer to him in return. I guess it makes you realise that we need to appreciate the ones we love; we never know what could happen to us.

"So, yeah I saved Two, which was totally exhausting" he continues. Marina nods at that and I smile at her. "Then we came back to America, were ambushed but we dealt with that and then we came here" John finishes. I smile and lean my head on his shoulder. There's a comfortable silence for a while.

"Well, isn't this sweet?" I look up and see Five smirking at me from behind Eight's sofa. I grin at her and she smiles back. She looks weary and strained, as though she's been through hell and back.

"When did you get here?" John asks her, a smile on his face. I guess he's looking forward to seeing Nine.

"Um, about ten minutes ago when you were storytelling" she replies. Ella walks into the room and Marina cries out in joy. Ella runs to her, grinning, and they throw their arms around the other, talking rapidly in Spanish. They do that when they're having a close moment; privacy for them to talk.

"So, where's Nine? Waiting for a grand entrance?" John asks, a huge grin on his face.

Five's face falls and immediately, my heart drops. He can't be dead, we would have felt it on our legs. But something must have happened to make her so grim. I hope he's ok; he's one of the strongest and I actually like him.

Sometimes.

"He's with Setrakus" she says, sighing and sitting on an armrest.

"What?!" Eight asks concerned, leaning forward. Ella and Marina have pulled apart, realising something serious has happened.

"We were having an argument in the desert and he stormed off, when Setrakus appeared" she explains, an emotionless expression on her face. "I fought him but Nine came back and then Setrakus teleported him away" she finishes, sighing. She looks really tired and I wonder if she feels guilty about Nine being taken. They must have been closer than before if Nine ran back to save her, despite the risk to himself.

"We'll get him back. We'll leave tonight" John says, rising and his fists clenched. I nod and stand next to him.

"Yeah, he would do the same" I add.

Five shakes her head. "No, they'll come soon enough. Nine will be bait so the best thing we can do is wait. They won't hurt him as long as we do nothing" she says. I laugh bitterly.

"Are you serious? They could keep him for months!" I argue. Her face closes off but I see true anger in her eyes.

"You think I want him to be locked up?! I want to rescue him as much as you but I know that Setrakus will arrive soon enough! The best thing we can do is prepare!" she shouts back. I want to argue back but she looks so small, so upset that I can't find it in me. She must have gotten closer to Nine than I thought, maybe they're friends now.

"Guys, that's enough. I think we need sleep and then we can discuss this in the morning, when we're calmer" Marina says. I sigh but nod.

"Agreed. But where do we sleep?" I ask. John shrugs.

"Maybe we should let the others sleep in the rooms and us Garde can camp out in the lecture room. I'm sure Five can steal enough blankets from somewhere in this building" he says. Five grins wickedly and nods.

"Oh i'm on it" she says and then she disappears, turning invisible. We didn't even have a chance to introduce her to Two and Three, though I guess she's probably already read their minds and knows who they are.

Half an hour later, all the Garde plus Adam and Sam are all camped out in the Lecture room. The absence of Nine weighs heavily on our minds but I know we'll get him back. Blankets and pillows cover the floor and I see Sandor frown as he shuts the room down. We don't want to get attacked by drones in the night.

Sandor looks upset as he presses some controls near the door. I bet this place reminds him of Nine and he must be worried about his Garde being locked up with Setrakus. It must also be hard seeing the rest of us and knowing Nine is in danger.

And yes, he's probably upset that we're using this room as a sleeping area. His precious Lecture Hall is being used for a sleepover.

"This is not what the room was meant for" I hear Sandor grumble. I grin and then pull a blanket around me. Marina lies next to me on her side with Eight lying behind her, his arm around her waist pulling her close to him. My protective side wants to frown and tell him to back off a bit but I restrain myself. I'll just be a hypocrite because John will be sleeping next to me.

"Lights out!" bellows Sandor and then the room goes dark at his command. It's a high tech room. "Get some sleep and don't talk!" he adds to us as he leaves the room.

"Since when are we kids?" I hear Five complain as she shuffles around, trying to make herself comfortable. I roll my eyes and then hear rustling as the others make themselves comfortable. I hear Adam grumpily tell Sam to back off out of his space and i'm not the only one who laughs. Despite everything, we're still kids and we can have fun too.

I feel John wrap his arms around me and nuzzle his head into my neck. I grin and lean against him, appreciating the warmth. His lips grin against my neck and my breath catches ever so slightly.

"Night Six" he whispers oh so quietly, his breath tickling my skin.

"Good night" I reply. My eyes begin to droop and my breathing deepens.

I fall asleep pretty quickly after that.

* * *

Sorry for the lack of action but this chapter was sort of necessary. Next chapter will be much better :D

So, hope you enjoyed and please review!


	38. Chapter 38

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...

Hi guys!

Thank you all sooooo much for your reviews! They are lovely, amazing, consistant, funny, supportive... I don't know really what else to say but thanks!

Anyway, a lot of you asked why there wasn't a Nine POV so we would know what's happening to him. The reason? I'm cruel :D SPOILER: I love Nine too much to kill him off so don't worry! He'll be back very soon...

Also, i have another one-shot in my other story. For those that have reviewed, thank you soooo much:D

**So, some action in this chapter but next chapter... the Garde better brace themselves! If this story reaches 400 reviews after this chapter, I will update tomorrow! Also this chapter is a shorter one.**

Read on and enjoy!

* * *

Adam

I open the door to the roof and immediately am hit by a gust of wind. My shirt is tugged around me violently and I sigh in annoyance as I try to get it in control. I look out and see Five, sitting by the edge of the roof. Her legs are hanging off the side and I approach her carefully, not wanting to shock her.

She's been distant lately but it's not because of our argument that seems so long ago. It seems like we've already forgiven the other for the fight; I know it's not an issue for us now. We have bigger things to worry about. She's been more remote recently but it's something else other than our argument, something personal for her. This morning when we made our plan to rescue Nine in case Setrakus didn't come visiting, she seemed fine but I know differently. I'm her best friend; I know when things are wrong.

I reach the edge and slowly sit down, swinging my legs over. My stomach drops from the height but I know I can teleport away if I fall. And Five wouldn't let it happen anyway.

"What are you thinking about?" I ask her. She sighs as another gust of wind blows the hair around her face. She's cleaned up and she looks a whole lot better for it, without all the blood-stained clothes.

"Nine" she replies. I nod and take her hand.

"We'll save him, don't worry" I say reassuringly. She nods but her face still looks sad. Yep, something is definitely up.

"Five? What's going on?" I ask her. She sighs and looks at me.

"Before Setrakus came... before he fought me, I said to the others Nine and I were arguing" she says. I nod slowly.

"Look, whatever you were arguing about, i'm sure he forgives you-" I begin but she shakes her head impatiently.

"No, Adam. We didn't argue at all" she says. I stare at her, my eyebrow furrowed in confusion.

"What were you doing?" I ask, not understanding the problem at all. She frowns in irritation.

"We were kissing" she says. If I were drinking, it would be one of those times where you spray the whole drink out in shock. I stare at her stunned, my jaw slack. She smiles ever so slightly and looks away, out towards the people down in the streets of Chicago.

"You and Nine? Kissing?" I ask her. She laughs bitterly.

"I know. We hated each other but then it turns to love. Like a twisted romance novel" she says with gritted teeth. She grabs a small stone and hurls it out into the distance. I control my confusion and face her.

"You love him?" I ask her. Her face crumples and suddenly, she looks like a 16 year old girl, suffering from heart ache for the first time. She's not the scary, intimidating Five that she seems like normally but just a vulnerable girl. I can see how Nine could fall in love with a girl like this.

"Yes" she whispers. She rubs her eyes and I wrap an arm around her shoulders.

"What's the problem then?" I ask her. She releases one sob but then controls her emotions. She pulls away and sighs.

"I can't be with him. Setrakus will use our feelings for each other against us and besides... i'm not the type of girl for love. It's just not me" she explains. I nod. Love and Five just don't seem to go together and I know the whole issue of bait is a big deal for her. She doesn't want to be trapped by her feelings.

"But, i'm guessing he feels the opposite" I say. She laughs sadly and nods.

"He was kissing me to persuade me. And it was really working" she whispers. I sigh, not sure what to say. For me, being with One was always never going to happen, despite my feelings, because she was dead. But for Nine, he has hope. Five is very much alive and in love with him.

"And you're worried about him" I say. She nods and looks away towards Lake Michigan.

"Of course. Setrakus knows that I love him and although I've said Nine won't be hurt, i'm not sure" she says.

"Then why aren't we rescuing him now?" I ask. She sighs and scratches at the concrete with her nail.

"Because I have this feeling that Setrakus will come to us with Nine. He took Nine instead of me for a reason and I just have to wait to see why" she explains. I nod.

"You think he'll come to Chicago soon?" I ask. She nods slowly.

"I tried telling Six but she wouldn't have it. She's so happy with John. In fact, all of the others are so happy here, they can't accept the fact that this place could soon be a battlefield" she says bitterly.

"You need to tell the Cepans" I said. She smiles weakly.

"I told Sandor. He's talking about it with the others. They accept the threat" she says. She goes silent and I have this feeling she's thinking about Nine again.

"If we get Nine back, safe and sound, does it change anything? Would you be with him?" I ask her. She looks at me and I see tears in her eyes.

"No" she whispers. I nod and take her hand. No matter her decision, I'll be there for her.

"We'll get him back" I reassure her. She turns to me and I see a hard light in her eyes, a sign of the Five I've been missing recently.

"Oh we will. I'll make them pay for ever taking him" she says, her voice as cold as ice. She stands up and begins to make her way back to the apartment.

I sigh and stare down at all the people below. If only they knew what could happen in just a few days to their beloved city.

I heave a sigh once more and stand up, leaving the view of Chicago behind.

Xxx

John

"Ok, who wants to go first?" Sandor calls eagerly, sitting behind the control panel. I guess he can't wait to see us getting beaten up. If Nine were here, he would have gone first, ready to show off to us all. Worry for my best friend rises in me but I try to ignore it; I need to train to help rescue him.

"I will" I turn and see Five walk towards the centre of the room. She's a pretty good fighter; she just doesn't seem to care about risks, which means she'll throw herself into any situation. Also, she has mind control so she can read any moves coming her way; it's hard to catch her by surprise.

Yet I still think Nine and Six are better.

Not that I'm biased about Six...

"Awesome" Sandor says, typing in a couple of instructions. He's the only Cepan in here; all the others are upstairs planning.

The rest of us line the wall, dressed in training clothes and whispering amongst ourselves. The last time I was here, Nine was beating up all of us and Five was with Adam and Sam in a different state. At least we're almost all together now, we only have to save Nine.

Five stands in the centre of the room, dagger in hand. She's a lethal shot with that; her aim is impeccable. I've never seen her miss her target when she throws it. I see Sandor grin in anticipation and I bet he's putting her on a pretty high level. He needs to have some fun to distract him from the constant worrying about his Garde.

The first missiles fly out but Five effortlessly dodges them, looking elegant while doing that. Only Six and Nine look that impressive while dodging missiles. The rest of us just look desperate as we lunge out of the way. I see a huge bar swing out from the wall but Five ducks underneath it in a smooth roll. She's grinning from the exercise and the adrenalin.

Sandor increases the level so that loads of projectiles fly out towards Five but she dodges most of them. The others she destroys by throwing her daggers. I see Sandor getting frustrated and then he grins wickedly, whilst pressing a button.

The training area of the floor begins to move and shake slowly. Five loses her footing and falls down, just as a punching bag slams into her. She's thrown back into a wall, looking seriously pissed off. Sandor laughs in delight.

"Nine wouldn't let that happen!" he shouts out. Five glares at him and immediately gets up, muttering under her breath in Spanish. Marina grins as she is fluent in that language and I see her whisper to Eight what Five must have said. He grins and shakes his head.

Five goes back to the shaking floor but she can't get such a good balance as she had when it was still. I probably wouldn't be able to stand up, so i'm still impressed.

"Defeat this and we're done!" Sandor instructs, pressing yet another button. I see a robot mogadorian appear out from a hole in the floor and Five raise her eyebrows, obviously impressed by Sandor's ability to create machines.

"Easy" she replies. She pulls out her three daggers and throws all three of them at the same time. They all slam into the mog's chest and it falls to the ground, exploding into ash like a real mog would do. Sandor nods in resignation and switches the machine off.

"8 out of 10" he announces. Five scowls and crosses her arms.

"Why 8?" she asks. I grin and shake my head. Only she would argue about such a high score. Actually no, Nine would as well.

"Because you were hit by the punching bag" Sandor replies. Five sighs but nods, agreeing with him. She walks back over to Adam who high fives her. She seems distant despite her show and I look at her concerned. Definitely upset about something but what about, i'm not sure.

"Right i'm bored of this. Let's do pairings" Sandor announces, hopping down from the control pad. He has such a short attention span, sort of like a certain Garde member I know. Six grins next to me, rubbing her hands.

I feel my heart pound that little bit more when I look at her and I look away, blushing. My feelings for her have grown, if possible, and I just want to be spending alone time with her now, instead of training. However, I have to have different priorities; we are in a war after all.

"Ok Three versus Two up first" Sandor says. I hope Two wins just because I've known her longer and I feel protective over her. The two of them go out to the floor and face one another, Two looking a lot smaller than Three. He grins at her but she simply pales a little. It's a shame she doesn't have a gun; then she would put Three in his place.

"Go!" Sandor says. Three lunges forward and aims a punch at Two who only just manages to dodge. I was right; she hasn't had much training. She attempts a half-hearted kick at Three who easily sidesteps it. He's fast and willing to put up a good fight whilst Two is more reluctant.

They trade blows for a while longer, Two finally realising she's going to have to hurt him in order to win. In the end, Three deals her a pretty mean right hook which makes me wince slightly. Two stumbles back, clutching her nose, and Three grabs her around the neck. He pulls her to him and knocks her feet out from under her.

"Three wins!" Sandor declares. Three breathes a sigh of relief and I grin at him. He was pretty impressive considering he's missed years of training.

They both walk over and Marina heals Two's nose before I can. Two has clung to Marina recently and so has Ella, though that's understandable; they are like sisters. I guess Marina's just the type of person who just can't be mean to anyone, so people like to hang around her.

"Ok, Marina and Eight!" Sandor says, settling down onto a chair in the corner. I slap Eight on the back as he walks past and I grin at him.

"You can win this one!" I say to him. He laughs and Six rolls her eyes.

"Oh please, I'd like to see him try" she replies, naturally backing Marina, who smiles at Six as Eight faces her.

"Legacies allowed?" she asks. Sandor nods and I see her smile wickedly. Damn, Eight's going to have a problem with her mind control. I know he's not going to use his master legacy on her; it'd kill him if he hurt her. But then again, his other legacies are just as powerful.

Eight teleports immediately behind her but Marina moves so that she is in a different place. Her superspeed is pretty awesome to see, just like Nine's. I see Eight sigh and teleport again but once more, she's not there.

He lunges out for her with a punch but she moves out of the way, throwing a punch at him too. He teleports away and the same thing happens. This is going to be a stalemate fight; neither can win unless legacies aren't allowed.

Eight seems to realise the same thing and sighs, looking resigned. I wonder if he will use his master legacy, just to unsettle her. He aims his hands towards her, looking upset, and a bright flash of light is released. Marina manages to dodge but is blinded slightly by the flash of light and in order to effectively dodge, she put herself closer to Eight. He teleports to her and wraps his arm around her neck but he doesn't kick her legs out from under her. There's only so much he'll do to win.

"Eight wins!" Sandor announces. Eight immediately releases Marina and they smile at each other, walking over to us. I grin and crack my knuckles; pretty sure i'm going next. I'll be up against Six and I want to win. Even though i'm sure that's an impossibility.

"Ok, John and-" Sandor begins when there's a bang and the door to the apartment slams open. Henri runs down, looking panicked.

"What's going on?" Sandor demands, standing up and clutching a gun. When did he get that? Henri stops and looks at us, concerned.

"The mogs! They've arrived here. All the people have left this part of the city, I don't know how, and it's being surrounded" he says. Fear surges through me and I nod. We have to get weapons and begin our attack on them. Five steps forward, her face set and determined.

"What else? What else do you know?" she demands, clutching her daggers. The rest of us hold our breaths.

Henri sighs. "They have Nine. They're holding him hostage by the library" he says. I grin in relief; he's still alive! But then worry sets in again. What if they've hurt him?

"But what?" Marina whispers, having read something in Henri's mind. I see Eight move closer to her and I reach out for Six's hand, all of us needing comfort before what is sure to be our biggest battle yet.

"We were sent a message. Setrakus wants an exchange" Henri finally admits. "He'll give us Nine but..." he can't finish and he looks away.

Five steps forward, a cold look on her face.

"He wants the heir of Pittacus"

* * *

Dun dun dun! The city is being attacked!

So, who do you think is the heir of Pittacus? (Clue it's not Five because I already revealed she's the heir of Setrakus).

Hope you enjoyed and please review!


	39. Chapter 39

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies.

Hi guys!

Ok, wow. I looked up on my account and literally couldn't believe what I was seeing: 21 reviews for my last chapter! I personally, didn't think it was the best, but you guys must have thought it was good. Thank you soooo much!Because you guys are absolutely amazing and supportive, we have reached over 400 reviews! I couldn't have got this far without you guys so thank you all soooo much. The response for last chapter was huge and I loved it!

I can't really say anything else so: THANKS!

As I promised I would, here is the next update. I sort of _had _to update after the response :D It was really interesting to hear your opinions on who the heir will be, most of you got it right :) you won't find out who the heir is in this chapter but trust me, there's enough action to make up for it.

Also, I was asked by 'Six' (reviewer not the actual character) if One would return. Unfortunately, she won't return in the actual war; she's too far gone. But maybe when they return to Lorien, things might change...

The battle has officially begun!

So read on and enjoy!

* * *

Six

We stand in the apartment decked out in combat clothes and clutching our weapons. John stands near me, looking pretty gorgeous despite the situation. His grim face doesn't suit him; he's usually happy.

Despite the message we were sent, we can't reply. We have no idea who the heir of Pittacus and even if we did, we'd never send them to Setrakus. We won't follow Setrakus' wishes, even if it means Nine gets hurt from our refusal. And anyway, I bet Setrakus wouldn't trade Nine for the heir; he'd just keep them both.

"Ok, I suggest we stick together and-" Crayton begins, lying his map out but Five shakes her head.

"We split up" she says. Henri snorts and looks at her incredulously.

"They'll defeat us easily" he protests. "We don't have the numbers they do"

"No, she's right" Marina says stepping forward. She may not be the best fighter, but she's very good at planning. "The mogs have numbers but we have legacies and higher thinking. It's better if we split up" she says. Eight nods, instantly backing her up. It's nice to see her grow in confidence around us all; Eight has had a lot of input in that.

"It could work" Sandor mutters, staring at the map. He turns to Five. "What did you have in mind?" he asks. She grins.

"We split up to different sections; like we did at the theme park" she says to me, knowing I'll be her biggest ally if I think it will work. I nod, already agreeing to the idea.

"At first, it seems stupid but really it's brilliant; the mogs will be weaker once they split up" I say. Eight grins.

"And then once they're significantly weakened, we all group together and become stronger" he finishes. John smiles slightly and takes my hand. He's nervous and I squeeze his hand, trying to reassure him. I think it works a little but I understand why he's terrified; I feel the same.

"That's a good plan. Where will we send each group? And what will the groups be?" Adelina asks, realising that we're the better ones for planning. We all know our strengths and weaknesses whilst the Cepans are still new to what we can all do.

"Ok, same groups that we were separated in?" I ask looking around. I see the others nod; we're all used to working in teams like that.

"What teams are those?" Crayton asks. Ella's clinging to his arm but I know him being there is giving her strength. I smile at her, trying to look confident even though I feel far from it.

"Marina, Adam, Three, Adelina and I in one group" says Eight. Like John is with me, Marina is clutching Eight's hand and I see Eight smile at her to reassure her. She's just not used to constant fighting like I am.

"Two, Henri, John and I in the other" I say. Henri nods and begins loading a gun, putting spare ammo in his pockets.

"Which leaves Ella, Five, Crayton and I in the last" Sandor finishes.

"Right, Marina and group, you'll go down to the lake; you have advantages there" Five instructs, looking down at the map. Marina nods and we smile at each other, despite our worry for the other. I know Marina will be able to heal the others all but I just hope she isn't injured badly. Then who will save her?

"John, your group will go to... the shopping centre ten minutes away. It's far enough away for a significant separation of the mogs but close enough that you can run to us for an emergency" she orders us. I nod and grip my sword tighter.

"Crayton and co, stick by this building until I come back with Nine" she orders. I begin to protest but Five shakes her head.

"Only Marina and I can get him because we can locate him with our mind control. And I doubt Eight will let Marina go off by herself" Five says smirking as Eight shakes his head quickly. I sigh, resigned. I know she's the best choice but still. I want to help get Nine back; I am actually really worried about him.

"Don't do anything stupid" I say. She nods and then grabs her stuff.

"Right, we all meet by the lake as soon as we're done" Henri orders. We all nod and then get into our groups. Eight and Adam teleport their group away immediately and I desperately hope that this isn't the last time I see them.

In fact, I hope this isn't the last time I see any of the others.

Xxx

We stand by the entrance of the shopping centre, listening out for the army approaching us. I can't hear anything just yet but i'm sure it will come soon enough. John shifts next to me, his grip tightening on the gun he's holding. I smile at him reassuringly but right now i'm in fight mode, not comfort-boyfriend mode.

"Ok, well a shopping centre would confuse them if nothing else would" Henri says, entering the place. I nod and follow, my sword held in front of me. Two follows quietly, looking terrified but clutching her gun resolutely.

The layout of the mall is the same as anywhere else; different levels with different shops. In the centre, two huge escalators lead up to the various levels and I see tables and chairs outside a small café nearby. The escalators are still going; just like the theme park, the whole place is empty but it's still running.

"Where are all the people?" John asks Henri in a low voice. He shrugs.

"Most of them will have left this part of Chicago; fled to another area of the city. Setrakus won't want them in the way so he'll have convinced them to go with his mind power" he explains.

I walk forward and turn in a circle. "That and he'll have simply killed some" I say. I hear Two whimper slightly but I ignore her. I'm in full fight mode now which means i'm ruthless.

There's a large crashing noise from outside and I spin round, facing the entrance. There are more crashes as though something is running into loads of different things and knocking them over. There's a howl in the air and my blood freezes.

"Pikens!" Henri shouts, loading his gun. I swing the gun around from my back and prepare to shoot.

The entrance explodes as the huge piken rips through it. It sees us and then roars; a noise that deafens me. There's blood dripping from its jaws and I shudder in horror. I _hate_ pikens. The thing takes a couple of steps forward, breaking into a run.

Suddenly, another creature bursts out from the side and slams into the piken. They roll around, biting and scratching the other. They hit the far wall and then crash into a shop. I hear their snarling and growling through the hole on the wall.

"Bernie Kosar!" John shouts. I grin and turn back to the entrance as mogs and kraul race in. BK will be fine; he's a strong fighter.

I turn invisible and race forwards, ripping through the mogs with my sword. They have no idea i'm there which makes me even more lethal. I stab at a mog in the stomach and he falls to his knees, gasping. I drive my sword through his neck and he explodes to ash.

I continue to mow through the mogs, a continuous blur of killing and injuring. The mog don't stand a chance against me, but the others? They have a better chance.

I see Two and Henri shooting at the mogs desperately, moving further and further back as the onslaught of mogs overwhelm them. They're good but the mogs are better. I see John in front and throw a huge fireball at the mogs with his lumen. Henri whoops in delight as around 50 mogs are killed on the spot and more are blinded by the smoke.

I run over and quickly kill the ones who were down temporarily, turning visible so John knows i'm ok. We share a tired grin and then throw ourselves back to battle. I use telekinesis to throw some krauls into the walls and they fall to the floor, lifeless. They're nasty little buggers.

"We need a better tactic!" Henri shouts as more mogs advance in a row, showing fewer weak points than they did earlier. They're organised now and will be harder to beat. I swear and join the others, assessing the situation. Usually, when I was on the run, I would just turn invisible in this kind of situation but they are too many people here for that.

"How about this?" Two whispers, digging around in her rucksack. She pulls out a couple of explosives and I stare at her stunned.

"Where the hell did you get those?" I ask her, shocked. She grins.

"Sandor was working on them with me and I only just remembered about them" she says. She loves tech stuff like Sandor and has spent way too much time working on bombs for a 12 year old.

"Start working on the timer! I'll plant them once they're done!" I shout at her. She nods whilst John and I push ourselves back into battle. We need to cause a distraction while she works on the bomb.

We've killed about 100 mogs by now but more just pour through the doorway and I need to figure out how to get out of this building once I've set the bomb. I look at the escalators and a plan starts to form. If Henri and Two escape now, John and I can continue to fight until the last minute. We can run a lot faster than those two.

"Get out of here!" I shout at Henri, gesturing for the escalators. He doesn't hesitate and sets the bomb down. I know we won't be able to disable it; they're too good at creating those explosives.

"Five minutes!" he shouts to me and I nod. John appears next to me and shoots a fireball at 30 or so mogs. I grin and throw a couple of daggers at some mogs. I'm nowhere near as good as Five but it's enough to kill the mogs and that's all that counts.

We blindly kill for a couple more minutes but I know our time is running out. I need to get John out of here now and BK too. John whistles as though he can read our mind and BK comes loping over to us in beagle form. He must have done his fair share at killing the mogs because he's covered in ash and blood.

I grab John's hand and BK jumps into my arms. I turn invisible and the mogs shout in confusion, sensing a trap. John and I race over to a nearby shop, praying to get in before the bomb goes off. We've just entered the doorway, when there's a flash of light and heat.

I'm thrown off my feet and my hand is ripped from John's. I crash into a couple of racks of clothes and I lie there stunned for a couple of seconds before reality crashes onto me. I sit up and see the building around me begin to crumble and fall. I'm dazed but I know enough to understand I need to get to John.

I leap up and run to John, throwing myself over him as the building begins to fall down around us. I create a telekinetic shield which BK manages to squeeze under and I wait as the mall turns to rubble. My shield deflects the huge slabs of stone and John eventually begins to help once he's woken up. It's like the mog base in England all over again but this time, I was better prepared. I hope Two and Henri got out ok.

Eventually, the rocks stop falling and I lower my shield. I cough as soon as I breathe in, the dust and ash choking me. I press my sleeve over my mouth and take shorter breaths. John does the same next to me and uses his other hand to light up the ruins with lumen. We manage to pick our way through the rubble and see hundreds of piles of ash. I see a couple of mogs barely alive in the ruins but I don't go over to them and kill them. They'll die soon anyway.

Suddenly, there's a deep snarling noise and I turn to see a wolf-like creature with hung fangs crouching in the doorway. How the hell did that not die? BK whines and I feel terrified. This is one of the creatures that destroyed Lorien, except I never saw it defeated. It's pretty unbeatable and lethal.

"I think we should run" I whisper to John. He nods very slowly and backs off. We don't know how to kill this thing because nothing seems to work. I remember seeing Loric strike creatures like this with lightning and firing Eight's killer fire at it but it didn't work.

"Good idea" he says and then turns around, sprinting for the escalators. I follow his example and we race towards them. They're pretty much destroyed but I manage to clamber up them in my panic. The creature howls behind us as he picks up the chase and the adrenalin in my body helps me go faster.

BK sprints on ahead in panic as he needs to go and warn the others of the threat. John grabs my hand and pulls me along; I can't run as fast as him which is really annoying. The creature is hot on our heels and I begin to really panic. I can't help but be pessimistic despite our recent success. We're going to get killed and then eaten. I don't want to be food.

I feel jaws clamp onto my leg and I scream and fall down. The creature drags me back until John lunges for it with his sword. Fury fills his face and he stabs the animal in the eye. It howls and realises my leg, which is covered in blood. I whimper and back off, pain the only thought in my mind.

John faces off the monster, determined and brave. I'm so proud of him, despite the hopelessness of the situation. I know he's doing this for me. The wolf-thing jumps and John swings his sword but only gives the animal a small cut. It bares its teeth in a menacing small and I gulp. I can't lose John, no matter what. I conjure up my element control and am about to use air to try to suffocate the animal, when there's a gunshot and the thing explodes to ash.

John looks on stunned as do I, but then he turns around and races towards me. He kneels by me and places his hands on my leg whilst Henri walks over, followed by Two. I feel relieved that they're ok; I had been worried about them in the explosion.

"How did you kill it?" I ask, gritting my teeth from the pain. John smiles at me gently and I feel a million times better than before. One of his hands absently strokes the hair away from my face and I lean into it.

"Simple gunshot. We didn't have these kinds of guns in Lorien otherwise we wouldn't have been so badly defeated. There are disadvantages about being peaceful" Henri explains. He's covered in ash and blood, like the rest of us, and he's frowning.

"We need to leave" he says, as I stand up, helped by John. "This building isn't very stable and we need to reach the others" he says. I nod and pick up my sword; I had dropped it when the thing bit me.

Two and Henri walk on ahead, BK trotting by their feet but John pulls me back before I can join them. I'm about to protest when he leans down and kisses me quickly. Before I can get into it, he pulls away and grabs my hand. We walk back to the others, a goofy smile on my face.

"I'm glad you're all right, Six" he whispers, running his thumb over my hand. I smile but then feel dread begin to enter me.

"Same, but I have this horrible feeling that was only the beginning"

Xxx

Five

As soon as I was given permission to leave, I ran. I grabbed my weapons and raced out of the John Hancock Centre faster than I've ever run before. I need to get to Nine.

This decision of me going by myself to save Nine is practically suicide. I know this, yet I can't stop myself from racing down the streets to get to him.

I can read the mogs' minds around Chicago and I grin at their stupidity. We decided to go for the whole theme park tactic and I can hear the mogs splitting up as I run. Marina and co have already arrived at the lake and are waiting for the mogs; the same with John and his group in the shopping centre. I need to hurry because as awesome as Ella, Sandor and Crayton are, even they can't hold back the mogs for long.

My legs scream in protest as I race through the streets of Chicago. I'm almost there; I can read Nine's mind. I get a surge of speed when I feel his familiar presence when suddenly something slams into me.

I'm rolled over and over by this thing; I think it's a piken. I can feel my skin being ripped by its' claws and the pavement. I hit the ground at a crazy speed and now my body's paying the price. I groan as I feel a couple of ribs being snapped, but I have bigger things to worry about. I block out the pain and concentrate.

The piken snaps at my face but because i'm a whole lot smaller than it, I duck and roll through a gap in its legs. It growls confused, as I appear in front of it with my sword. It swipes at me with its paw but I duck like I did earlier in the Lecture Hall. I need to get on top of the piken and then stab it in the neck.

I see a lamppost and smile grimly; it's the best option. I sprint over and the piken follows, confused and stupid. I jump up onto a bin next to the post and then use my momentum to grab the post and swing around towards the piken. I launch myself into the air and grin when I land on its' monstrous neck. It roars as I try and get my balance. I pull out my sword and plunge it into the muscle and bones of the monster. It groans and then slowly topples forward, dead.

I lightly hop off and pull out the healing stone. I took it originally for Nine, but I need it just as much now. I press it to my bleeding skin and slowly, it begins to heal up. I also manage to fix the broken ribs with the stone as well, sighing in relief once the pain is over.

I begin to run towards Nine again but more carefully this time. I don't want any more nasty surprises. Just to be sure, I turn invisible and turn the corner of the street. Despite knowing I need to separate myself from him, the excitement I feel at being able to see him soon overwhelms me.

I stop and stare at the sight in front of me, needing to analyse everything before I begin my attack. There's a group of 20 or so mogs sitting by the bottom of the library, all concentrated on eating something. Nine has been tied up against one of the library pillars at the top of the huge flight of steps. He's been gagged and is therefore silent but even from this far away I can tell he's furious. There are bruises all over him but I know he'll be strong enough to fight.

A mog walks over to Nine and pulls out a dagger, gently stroking Nine's face with it but not making any cuts. I tense in anger and begin to make my way forward, thinking of the best way of attack. I need to defend Nine but also kill all the mogs. I can't sense Setrakus around at all and I think the offer of the heir for Nine is over. He probably only sent it to unsettle us.

But despite his absence, he'll be watching everything.

"Your little friends are all fighting, while you're stuck here with us" the mog kneeling by Nine taunts. I see him strain against his bonds but he can't do anything. Fury rises in me and I grab a dagger, preparing to throw.

"I wonder how you'll feel when you get their scars burnt into your leg and you can't do anything" he continues.

"Weak" the mog taunts. "Pathetic. That's what you are" he carries on. Nine struggles some more but I recognise the metal chain used to restrain him. It's a special mogadorian metal that is too strong for us Loric to break; the mogs developed it with some kind of chemical that weakens us when we touch it. I need to get the key for the chains and i'm guessing the leader by Nine is the only one with it.

I want to kill that mog but first I need to kill the others first. I reach the group of mogs who are cooking something over the fire. I use telekinesis to lift the pot and throw the boiling substance at some of them. They scream in pain but it's not enough to kill them. The other mogs jump up, realising there's an attack.

I swing my sword and one dies quickly, killed by a direct hit in the heart. I shred through the mogs as easily as if they were paper, killing them quickly out of my anger for what they did to Nine. They don't last long as I rapidly rip through them; there are only 20 after all.

"Stop!" I look up and see the lead mog holding Nine with a knife to his throat. Poor Nine is still tied up but if looks could kill, the lead mog would be long dead.

"Reveal yourself!" the mog orders, fear in its' voice. I smirk and then turn visible, my hands on my hips. Nine sucks in a breath when he sees me though he must have known it was me that came to save him. He looks so happy to see me and I have a feeling I look the same way.

I feel a mog grab my arm in my distraction but at once I twist and stab it in the stomach. It crumples to the ground and I kick it round the head viciously. It turns to dust; its' head crushed by my combat boots. I turn back to see Nine has managed to tackle the lead mog and they're grappling around on the steps by the library, despite the fact Nine is still tied up. Impressive.

I turn to the last five mogs and I throw my daggers at three of them. They explode to dust while the other two turn to me. I kill them pretty quickly; a stab wound given to each of them. Once i'm done, I turn at once and race up the steps to Nine. He's being beaten by the lead mog and I wince at every hit.

The mog raises his club to hit Nine again just as I reach them but I grab his arm and wrestle the club from his grip. The mog is clever, I'll give him that, because he kicks my ankles from underneath me and we both go tumbling down the stairs. I hear Nine cry out my name but he can't do anything. My head smacks against the steps and I groan at the dizzy feeling. The mog stands over me; most of his fall was cushioned by me so he's mainly ok.

"I'll deal with you once I've killed your friend" he hisses to me, stepping towards Nine. I see through blurry eyes Nine trying to get up and growling with frustration as he can't free himself. I need to help him.

I stagger to my feet and throw myself at the mog. He yells as we fall forward but this time, it's him getting hit badly in the head. I roll him over and press my knife to his throat. He looks scared and I realise I must look pretty terrifying. I can feel blood in my hair and i'm furious over Nine's treatment.

"The key! Give me the key!" I hiss. He whimpers but shakes his head. I roll my eyes.

"This isn't an option! Give it to me!" I shout at him. He gasps as my knife digs in deeper and then his shaky hand reaches down to grab the key from his pocket. I snatch it from his hand and then stab him in the neck. He dies in seconds.

I stagger up and make my way to Nine, who is still struggling, despite his injuries. I reach him and his eyes widen in relief and concern for my state. I smile at him and go to his back to unlock the chains wrapped around him. I'm still dizzy but the fight here is over.

"Stay still" I order him. I untie the gag first and he gasps, probably breathing well for the first time in days. I calm the anger in me and I gently continue to untie him.

"I knew you'd come" he says, still breathing quickly. I bet a couple of his ribs are broken so I hurry up and push the chains off him. I then grab the healing stone and press it to his side. He stretches his arms out and then hisses as the pain registers.

We sit there in silence as the stone continues to heal his wounds and soon his breathing slows down. Some of the newer bruises disappear but the older ones remain. I'm livid about the way he's been treated but I push it away. I'll focus on it in the fight; anger is always helpful in battle.

When he's been healed, he reaches out and gently strokes my cheek. I feel it heat up and I avoid his gaze. Despite wanting distance between us romantically, I've missed him so much.

"Don't" I say weakly, pushing his hand away and he sighs, looking away. I press the healing stone to my head and the pounding pain disappears.

"So it still doesn't change anything, huh?" he asks, resigned. I sigh and look him in the eyes.

"Of course not" I reply. He smiles sadly and shakes his head.

"One of these days Five, you'll realise this is stupid. Setrakus already knows we love each other! Why not enjoy it while we can?!" he asks exasperated.

I understand his point, I really do, but I just can't do it. Call me stubborn, call me cruel, but I can't be with him. He needs to understand this.

"We need to join the others" I say quietly, standing up. He sighs again but stands up. I begin to descend the steps.

"Do you know what kept me sane in the cell whilst they beat me for information?" he asks, as I walk down the stairs. I close my eyes and stop but don't turn around.

"You did. The thought of you was enough to make me stronger than I've ever been before" he says, anger in his voice. "But then I come here and you tell me that you don't want to be with me. That this changes nothing!" he finishes.

"This changes everything!" I snap without meaning to, turning around. I see him smile ever so slightly at my show of emotion.

"How?" he asks. I run a hand through my hair and continue down the stairs, frustrated with myself.

"Because it does!" I reply, not sure what else to say. He laughs and then uses superspeed to appear in front of me, stopping me in my tracks.

"That explains a lot" he says sarcastically, crossing his arms. I notice for the first time he's wearing the same clothes as he did a couple of days ago, only sweatpants and no shirt. I try to ignore how defined his chest and stomach muscles are and how much I'd like his strong arms to wrap around me. Instead, I huff in annoyance.

"It changes everything because I know that Setrakus _can_ use you against me! That I can be manipulated by the thought of someone hurting you! I wasn't sure about it before but now I know! That's how it changes!" I shout at him. His face goes blank in shock.

"Oh" he says. I laugh in anger.

"Yes, 'oh'. You have no idea what it's like to know the person you love is in danger, but you can't do anything! I _do_ and it sucks. I would have been willing to give up every little secret about Lorien to keep you safe!" I hiss at him. He nods robotically.

"So you still love me?" he asks. I throw my hands up.

"Have you not just listened to what I've said?! You _stupid, annoying_-" I rant.

He doesn't let me continue. He grabs my arm pulling me to him and then he cups my face in his hands. He leans down and kisses me, cutting off my words. It's quick and fast and amazing. He pulls back after way too short a time and then grins at me as I struggle for breath. I just stare at him speechless. Damn him and my reactions to him.

"You might feel the same as before, but so do I" he whispers, his mouth still too close to mine. Any closer and I will have no self-control. I steel myself and push away, missing the contact with him. It takes a lot of effort and I see him smirk to himself.

"Next time I won't save you" I snap, angrily walking away, back to the apartment. We need to get to the others before they're too outnumbered.

I hear him laugh behind me as he slowly catches up.

"You said that about kissing me too" he drawls.

Damn him.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed and there's soooo much more fighitng to come :D

So, what do you think will happen? Will Setrakus make an appearance?

Please review!


	40. Chapter 40

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...**

**Hi guys!**

**Thank you all sooooo much for all the reviews, they are as lovely and amazing as usual. I know this sounds cliche but I really couldn't have gotten this far without you all :D so thank you all so much, I really can't say how grateful I am.**

**I know a lot of you are really annoyed with Five because she's so stubborn with Nine. But part of the reason she's being stubborn is that she's playing him at his own game, 'playing hard to get'. Except she's too naive to realise, even though Nine does. Don't worry, things are going to change with them very soon, maybe even next chapter...**

**So, no sign of Pittacus'heir yet but next chapter, definitely. In the meantime, there is a lot more action :)**

**So read on and enjoy.**

* * *

Eight

We pace by the lake, waiting for an attack. Three and Adam walk ahead, both of them wearing guns strapped over their backs. Adelina is hiding our chests nearby, far enough that they're safe but close enough for us to grab quickly. Considering she hid Marina's from her for most of her life, she'll be good at that.

Marina walks next to me, her hand slightly sweaty in mine. She's shivering from cold and fear but to be honest i'm not much better. It's the kind of fear that makes your throat shut and your heart pound. I feel so tense that just a small noise makes me jump.

"Where are they?" I ask Marina, my voice low. She sighs and pulls her hair back into a ponytail, her mind scanning for the mogs.

"They're about a couple of minutes away" she whispers to me. I nod and swallow, fear making it harder than usual.

"We'll be fine... we have your master legacy and my healing" Marina soothes me, rubbing circles in my hand with her thumb. I smile at her and sigh.

"Yeah but-" i'm broken off by the sound of a horn. I hear mogs cheering even though we can't see them and my pulse increases from terror. The army is here. Adelina comes running over, Three and Adam trailing.

"I've hidden the chests; they won't be found" Adelina says. I nod and rub my hands together, the fear turning to adrenalin. I feel alert and ready for a fight.

We watch as the army of around 300 soldiers begins to move out of Chicago and towards the lake. Hundreds of fully equipped mogs, eager for our death and pain. Just this army for us. How many more mogs are there in Chicago? I see a couple of pikens lumbering behind the masses and krauls pulling on their leashes, desperate for a meal. Us. Marina presses her hand to her mouth, trying to hold in her panic. I see Adam turn pale and Three close his eyes in resignation.

I need to install belief in them and fast, before we're killed by our lack of hope. I raise my hands and conjure up the power for my white fire. I'm blinded by the flash of light and heat that races out of my hands. It hits a group of 30 or so mogs who disintegrate at once. There are screams of panic from the mogs and I see Adam begin to grin, his faith renewed.

The army roars and then charges at us. The sound of thundering feet racing towards us, installs a fear so strong in me that... no, I have to suppress it. We have to win.

"Stay safe" Marina whispers next to me. She grabs my arm, kisses my cheek quickly and then is off, racing away with superspeed. I watch, pride engulfing me for a moment but then shake myself. I need to follow her example.

I teleport to the front of the army and change into a massive dragon. It's a slow animal but very effective right now. I swing my tail into a whole load of soldiers and they turn to ash, impaled by my spikes. I turn to some more and breathe fire at them. To my delight, I realise it's the same lethal fire from my master legacy. As many more die, the other mogs back off, realising they need more than brute strength to defeat me.

I see Adelina steadily shooting down mogs from behind me. Despite the situation, she looks calm and in control which is just what we need right now. Adam has used his seismic wave legacy to kill around 30 mogs and Three is doing all he can with his sword. Marina is nearby, using mind control and superspeed to fool the mogs. She darts around so quickly, I can only just make her out.

I hear a roar and turn to see a huge piken in front of me. Wow, never figured I'd be fighting a piken in dragon form. I quickly shape shift into a piken and roar right back. The real animal seems confused at my change and I quickly swing my arm at it, to throw it off balance. I'm right; it doesn't react fast enough and is sent sprawling onto the ground. I shape shift back to me and then teleport to its neck. I stab it quickly in the neck with a mog sword and it dies after a couple of seconds.

Suddenly, something small and furry hurls itself at me but it's not friendly like BK. The kraul bites and scratches at me and I cry out in pain as it tears into my flesh. I roll around on the ground, wrestling with the creature that's trying to rip into my neck. I sense more coming and am about to teleport away when the one on top of me is thrown off with telekinesis. Marina stands in front of me as more come our way but they never reach us. Adam sends a huge seismic wave our way and the krauls are thrown into the air. They slam back down onto the concrete and don't move.

"Let me" Marina says, grabbing hold of my arm. I breathe a sigh of relief as my wounds are healed by her. She doesn't seem fazed at all; her healing of Three gave her a much higher endurance to the legacy.

"Thanks" I gasp, breathing quickly. That was a show of how we should all group together to fight the mogs; together we're so much stronger. She nods at me and then focuses on the mogs.

"200 left" she says. I nod and see Three being dragged down by another mog. I send a stream of fire that way and all mogs around Three are killed. He nods in thanks and then runs on to more mogs. Impressive; he's not giving up. Adam is next to Adelina and has picked up a gun, teleporting here and there shooting down mogs.

I teleport away, leaving Marina reluctantly, and begin to pick off the mogs one by one. I still shoot my flashes of fire but I know that I need to save my strength. We've got a long way to go yet. I'm getting into the whole routine of teleporting and then stabbing when I hear a scream.

I look to see Three on the ground next to the lake, clutching his side. I can see the blood from here and I watch in horror as the piken looming over him, takes another swing at Three. Fortunately, it never hits him. However, my relief soon turns to horror when I see what stopped the blow. Marina jumps onto the piken's head and it stumbles back in confusion, swiping for her with its arms. It can't reach her of course and it trips over a bench, losing its balance. I cry out her name desperately as they both crash into the lake.

I teleport over and see Three puking blood, his body heaving. Adelina bends over him but looks up when I arrive. There's panic in her face.

"Get Marina!" she shouts. I nod and then run to the water, diving in. I shape shift into a shark and swim easily to where the piken is thrashing about in the water. Marina is clutched in his paw, struggling to free herself. I know she can breathe underwater but she can still be crushed by the creature.

I swim over and take a huge bite into the piken's paw. Even underwater it howls and releases Marina. She gasps for breath and swims away from immediate danger, whilst I keep the piken away from her. I turn into me again, necessary to use my other legacy. I aim my hands for the piken and the bright fire lights up the water. I wasn't sure if it would work underwater but it does and immediately, the piken is killed. Turns out my legacy can be used anywhere.

Awesome!

I feel a tugging on my arm and I see Marina pulling me to surface. I teleport us out of the water and we race to Three, who looks like he's almost dead. Marina falls to her knees and concentrates on his wound at once. I watch in awe as the injury slowly begins to heal; it's amazing to see Marina's legacy work. I see Adam gasp in admiration as Three sits us, completely healed.

I grin as he hugs Marina, not even jealous of his crush, as I reload the gun Adelina hands to me. I turn and see about a hundred or so mogs left, but the main problem are the pikens and krauls approaching us.

"Get them out of here" I yell at Adam, pushing Adelina and Three towards him. As useful as they are, they will just be a distraction for the next bit. Adam nods and disappears with the other two; teleporting them out. I grab Marina and then teleport to the lake, standing on the surface. Marina can't stand of course but Adam couldn't teleport all four of them away.

"Very useful, Eight!" she says sarcastically as I pull her onto my back. I grin and shake my head.

"You don't have to stand for this" I laugh back. Hope has begun to creep in me; hope that we can win this. I just hope the animals are as stupid as the mogs for this bit.

As predicted, the kraul and piken continue to race blindly towards us, despite the fact we're on the water. They reach the edge but dive right in, still swimming towards us. I swear angrily; they were supposed to drown! Since when can they swim?!

"Oh fantastic" Marina mutters, her lips against my neck, making me shiver despite the situation. She waves her hand and using telekinesis, creates a wave to drown the krauls. I breathe a sigh of relief at her idea and begin to do the same. More of the stupid animals just continue to enter the water, not realising the danger.

"See, not such a bad idea after all" I call. I bet she's rolling her eyes.

"The waves were my idea!" she answers back, creating another wave that drags some mogs into the water. The great thing about this method is that we're out of shooting range so we can't be killed but we can still do some crazy damage.

We continue to use telekinesis to kill the mogs from a distance, constantly creating waves that drag and then hold the mogs in the water. They drown in seconds, when we work on the next lot. There's a sudden silence and I hold my breath, waiting for another attack. There isn't one. I teleport back to land and Marina gets down from my back warily. She stares around.

"We did it" she whispers. I see Adelina and the others run back to us, our chests in their hands.

"We did it guys!" Adam whoops. I grin and feel joy spread through me. We got through the worst of it, now we just have to wait for the others. I hope they did as well.

I turn to Marina and not caring at all if the others are watching, kiss her. Adam wolf-whistles but I ignore him and continuing kissing her, relief my main emotion. She eventually pulls back, blushing, although her eyes are sparkling with mischief.

"We've done it! You guys were awesome and-" I begin to say when I hear a cough. Marina gasps and cringes against me and I turn at once to see who it is. Even though i'm pretty sure who it is.

Setrakus smiles in front of me, a huge army of around 700 mogs and pikens and krauls behind him. He must have teleported them all in just now and that level of power terrifies me. He's holding his cane and whip, with a sword strapped to his belt. My eyes widen in horror as he laughs.

We can't fight this army.

"Don't worry about them, they won't attack just now" he says, gently swinging his cane. I take a step backwards, remembering being stabbed by him in the chest. The pain had been off the charts; the memory makes me shudder. Marina moves back with me, face haunted by a horrific memory from Pennsylvania i'm sure he's in. I want to protect her from him and right now, not fighting him is the best option.

"What do you want?" Adelina snaps, moving forward between us. For once, i'm truly happy by her presence. Setrakus frowns when he sees her, but covers his confusion with a grin. I bet he didn't know some of the Cepans had returned. I wonder how he'll react to Two and Three.

"I'll tell you when the others are here" he says, gesturing for his army to lay down their weapons. I guess Setrakus won't attack until we're all here to be defeated. All here to die.

"For now, we wait"

Xxx

Nine

Man, it feels great to be free again.

Sure, i'm running desperately through Chicago, pretty sure the Garde are fighting for their existence right now but it still feels awesome to be free.

Five is sprinting along next to me, still scowling from our kiss. She has blood on her clothes from something that happened before she saved me but I don't ask what happened. I don't think I really want to know.

The streets are empty and I can't see any sign of humans, though i'm sure many are hiding behind their curtains, terrified from this alien battle. There's no sign of an attack, the cars are all in place, there are no damaged buildings, yet there's an atmosphere hanging over the city that says something is very wrong.

We pull to a stop when we reach the John Hancock Centre and Sandor hugs me at once, relieved to see i'm alive. I hug him back until he pulls away shaking his head at my state. I guess I do look at mess, covered in bruises and blood. I grin at him innocently.

"What's the plan then?" I ask. Five shrugs and looks around. She's very tense, holding her shoulders in a tight position which shows how stressed she is. It's another one of the many details I've noticed about her.

"The army's coming. We just have to wait" she says. I nod and look at Sandor.

"Do you have my chest?" I ask. He grins and then pulls out my pipe staff.

"You want this?" I he asks. I nod and take it from him, snapping it open expertly. I love this thing and i'm pretty awesome with it.

"Nine!" I hear a shout and see Ella run towards me. She's got two guns slung on her and I frown at that; she should be somewhere safe.

But this is a war. Nowhere is safe for us.

"Hey kid!" I reply as she barrels into me, wrapping her arms around my waist. Crayton nods at me when there's a sudden roar. Five straightens up and grabs her sword.

"Finally" she mutters. There's another roar and I realise it's the sound of the mogs all shouting together. There are hundreds. I'm eager for battle but even my breath stops.

Slowly, the army materialises out from between the buildings and I begin to sweat slightly. Oh damn, that's a lot of mogs. I see the krauls at the front, yapping for our blood and the pikens lumbering along behind, in no hurry at all.

"Any last minute words of wisdom?" I say to Five. She jumps slightly, completely on edge and then she grins at me wildly. At least I know she'll be a good fighter here.

"Don't die" she offers. I laugh and shake my head at her, despite the situation. She smiles and then focuses on the ground. I wonder what's going to happen when the ground beneath us begins to rumble and roll. Ella cries out and clings to me as the earth begins shaking more violently but i'm concentrating on Five. She's doing this, i'm sure of it.

I hear a low groan and I look up to see a tall building slowly begin to crumble from the earthquake. The waves in the earth knock me over and Ella falls on top of me but Five seems fine where she is. The building falls onto half of the mogs army, annihilating all the piken and about 100 mogs. The cloud of ash caused by the destruction is blown away from us by a sudden wind, another thing done by Five.

I whoop and jump up, high-fiving Five. She grins and helps Sandor stand.

"Deal with these mogs Nine" Sandor instructs. I nod, my muscles twitching. I'm desperate to go out and fight the monsters. Sandor grins and waves me off.

I race towards the mogs, so fast i'm a blur, and then pound through them. I laugh and holler as I rip through them in seconds. I see Five doing her bit nearby whilst the others shoot at the mogs but no one is doing as much damage as me. I'm having a great time, destroying and ripping these mogs to pieces; I see what John means about me being mentally unstable in battle. Maybe I should tone it down a bit.

Screw that, I get the job done.

I rip, stab, swing and deliver deathly blows to the army. One mog charges at me but I behead it with a swing of my staff. Another jumps on my back but I shake it off and throw it into a building. At one point, one grabs Five and she struggles desperately in its arms. I throw my staff like a spear and it pierces the mog through the body. She nods in thanks and chucks me back the staff.

I continue in the killing for about ten minutes after that until it all goes silent. I stop and stand around, not a single cut on my body from the army. I look around, desperate for more mogs to kill but there's none. I sigh in disappointment and see Five appear next to me. She smiles at me, a wicked glint in her eye. She enjoyed that just as much as me.

"Not a bad job" she says, turning away to meet the others. I grin and join her; my mood seriously improved after that battle and exercise.

"We need to see where the rest of the mogs are. We can see that from the John Hancock Centre" Sandor instructs. I nod and we run back to the apartment.

We make it there five minutes later, the elevator ride being ridiculously slow. I look through my apartment one last time; i'm sure I'll never see it again. Sandor looks just as sad as the others run up to the roof.

"Don't worry. We've got each other now. We don't need this place" I say, reassuring me and him. Sandor nods and grins.

"By the way, you're still the best in the Lecture hall, my young ward" he says. I smirk and then race to the roof.

I join Five and my breath stops in shock at the sight of Chicago spread out in front of me; it's so beautiful. It never fails to disappoint or stun me. She points out a black smoke cloud to me and I can see rubble underneath the smoke in the air.

"That's where Six and John went. It used to be a shopping centre" she says. I nod and she smiles. She then points to the Lake. I suck in my breath when I see huge waves appear and wash what I assume are mogs into the lake.

"Marina and Eight went there" she tells me. I nod again and then focus on something else. It's another army but one that's far bigger than one we've fought before. About 700 mogs are marching behind this one lone, huge figure but even from here I bet it is Setrakus. They're heading towards the lake.

"Sandor-" I begin to shout when gunfire erupts and the roof is attacked by bullets. I look up to see three helicopters surrounding the building and I swear. How did I not notice that before?!

"Take Ella to the meeting point!" I shout at Sandor and Crayton. They nod and the three of them run to the apartment, Five and I protecting them from bullets.

The helicopters circle and I use telekinesis to try and destroy their blades. They get closer to the roof when a hatch opens underneath each one and four monstrous mogs jump out of each one. These are the best of the best; designed to destroy us. I see Five pale but grip her knife. The mogs laugh and begin to advance towards us.

"Only six mogs each. We can do that" I whisper to Five. She smiles at me and then flings her daggers at them. One begins to laugh until the daggers thud into his chest. He turns to ash and Five puts her hands on her hips, a smug smile on her face.

God, I love her.

I race forward and the mogs prepare for my attack but I change action. I use my staff as a vaulting pole and I fly over their heads, landing behind them. I rip into two before the others realise what I've done.

Idiots. I thought they were supposed to be the best.

One slams into me but is picked up and thrown of the roof by Five. We're dangerously close to the edge, which is fine for me, but I'll keep a close eye out on Five. She doesn't have anti-gravity. Another mog lunges for me, but I dodge and slam my staff into his chest, unbalancing him. He falls to the ground when Five twirls around and stabs him in one mesmerising motion.

Nice, we're using teamwork now.

Using our method of joining up, we kill the rest until there's one left. I'm sparring with it while Five deals with the helicopters to stop further attacks. She's using lightning to strike them down and she's almost done, when the mog slams into me and I lose my balance from the sheer force behind the hit. I fall over the roof but fortunately, anti-gravity saves me.

But Five doesn't remember that I have that legacy. She must have run forward when the mog hit me and thrown herself at him in a rage. I climb over the rooftop to see the mog holding Five by the neck, shaking her. They're right by the edge. She jerks around as he shakes her and I shout out in anger. The mog's head snaps round as I throw my staff at him, like a spear. It hits him in the stomach and he releases Five. She grabs her dagger and slices his face with a slap like move. He growls and I run forward, knowing something is going to happen.

The mog lunges forward and grabs Five around the waist. She locks eyes with me for a moment before she falls over the edge.

I don't think. I just act.

I jump over the side and my feet hit the wall. I'm sprinting faster down the side of the building than I've ever run before and I soon catch up to Five and the mog. I grab Five's arm and she swings with the mog is still attached to her waist. One good kick and he's flying off towards Chicago.

I race up towards the roof, Five in my arms. She seems relatively relaxed considering that she almost died. But then I guess she knows I won't let her fall. We reach the roof and I let her stand, but only when we're far away from the edge. I grin at her smugly.

"Isn't this where you're supposed to kiss me for saving your life? That's what the damsel in distress usually does" I ask cheekily. She laughs and rolls her eyes.

"First of all, i'm not a damsel. I've just kicked some serious ass! Secondly, I think you owe me more kisses with the amount of times I've saved your life today" she retorts. I grin and shrug, pleased with her response.

"Whatever you want" I say, bending down but she's too good. She slips away and stands with her hands on her hips. I groan but smile good-humouredly as she grins back at me. She has no idea of the game she's playing, the whole 'hard to get' thing but I know. And I have to admit, it's definitely working.

"When will you just accept you're being stupid?" I complain. She walks towards the door to the apartment.

"When you accept that i'm right. Come on, we need to go; the others still need our help" she says, slipping through the door. I immediately turn serious and follow her quickly.

That was only just the beginning; things will get a whole lot worse.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! Clue for Pittacus' heir... they're a number between one and ten :D**

**Question: If you had to be a Garde member, which one would you be?**

**Please review!**


	41. Chapter 41

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies... sadly**

**Hi guys!**

**Sorry I didn't update sooner; something unexpected came up so I didn't have a chance.**

**A _huge_ thanks for everyone who has reviewed this story. It's amazing how many reviews I'm getting; I'm not complaining, please keep them coming. I love them and the support you guys are giving me. Thanks!**

**In a review someone asked why only 700 mogs would be a threat to the Garde. I haven't made this obvious (silly me) but in the Rise of Nine, in a dream of John's, Setrakus is talking to a troop of mogs; the best of the best. These mogs were really hard to kill in the dream and basically, the whole army is of these mogs. They're more trained and it takes more to kill them. Hope that clears things up :)**

**Also, a certain heir might be mentioned today...**

* * *

Ella

I stand by the lake, watching Setrakus leisurely pace in front of his troops. Terror is pounding through me and my breath is quicker than normal. I can't think straight at all, even though I know I need to find a way to get out of this situation.

Marina stands next to me, her hand in mine whilst Papa stands on my other side. They're protecting me; at least I have them. Eight is nearby, not wanting to go too far from Marina, talking to Nine in a low voice. We're all here now, but we have no idea what Setrakus wants

Setrakus sighs loudly and we all turn to look at him. I see how tense everyone is and fear closes my throat up, making it hard for me to speak. Setrakus looks around at all of us, his eyes lingering on Three and Two.

Setrakus waves his hand and Two is jerked forwards against her will. She cries out and Three lunges forward, grabbing her arm. However, Setrakus' power is too strong and Two is pulled forward until she's standing in front of Setrakus. I see the tears in her eyes and I want to cry too. I've gotten close with her; she can't die.

"Who are you?" he asks in a dangerous, pulling a dagger out. Two's eyes widen at it and she gulps. None of us do anything; there's nothing we can do except hope she isn't killed.

"Number Two" she whispers. I shudder as the dagger gets closer to her face. Six jumps forward, an angry expression on her face.

"Let her go-" she begins to say but is cut off and her hands fly to her throat. She looks like she's being choked and John runs to her crying her name out. She's held up slightly in the air, her feet a couple of inches off the ground. I watch in horror as she struggles against Setrakus' hold for a few minutes before she's dropped, gasping on the ground. John drops to his knees next to her and heals her crushed neck immediately, leaning over her protectively.

"How are you alive?" Setrakus asks in a low voice. His face looks dangerous and Two looks like she wants to faint. He grabs her throat at her silence and she whimpers.

"Tell me!" he roars in her face. She closes her eyes in terror when Five jumps forward.

"Let her go! Now!" she orders, compulsion strong in her voice. Setrakus drops Two immediately, who scampers over to us, hiding behind Marina and I. Setrakus looks at Five stunned, who looks the same, and then a slow grin begins to appear on his face.

"Impressive" he muses. I see Five move a step backwards towards Nine, who also moves closer to her, looking protective over her.

Setrakus turns back to his troops and begins speaking to them in a foreign language. I look around and see Nine readjusting his grip on his staff. So they're expecting an attack. I grip my gun more tightly and focus my mind, preparing to use telekinesis. Marina squeezes my hand next to me and I smile up at her.

Setrakus turns back to us and we all tense. The looks of determination and fear on the others' faces match mine. We have to win this fight. We have no other choice.

Setrakus moves so fast I don't see it properly. One second he stands still and then in the next, daggers fly towards Two and Three. He must know they're the least prepared. He thinks they'll be killed at once.

But we have Eight, who teleports in front of them, catching the knives. He raises his hands and fires a stream of white fire at the mogs.

That's the trigger.

At once, the sound of gunfire erupts and bullets race towards us. I begin to stop them with telekinesis and the others join in. I hear the pounding of feet and see a wall of mogs charging at us. Nine races forward and jumps straight into the mess, immediately turning mogs to ash. He's grinning and laughing the whole time. Eight and John join in whilst Six and Five go invisible and creep into the army. Adam uses his seismic wave's legacy on a section of the army and Marina begins convincing some of the army to not move using compulsion and then kills them.

I continue to shoot at the mogs and so do the Cepans and Two and Three. I begin to see significant gaps in the army and hope begins to return to me. Maybe we won't be so badly off. We might be able to win this.

I spoke too soon.

A sudden blue electric bolt races up from Setrakus' fist and I hear cries from the others in the army. I watch in shock as Six and Five become visible once more and John's lumen disappears. Marina's compulsion stops and the ground stops shaking from Adam's legacy.

Setrakus starts laughing as we continue to fight against the army but without our legacies we're pretty much just waiting to die. Terror fills me as I shoot the mogs and I watch in despair as things begin to go wrong for us.

First, Three is badly hit over the head and he goes down. Two runs over to him and tries to wake him up, despite knowing he's been badly hit. She grabs his arms, trying to drag him away, when a mog throws himself at her and they wrestle on the ground. I hear another cry and see Sandor stabbed in the side by a mog. John is shot in the leg a couple of times and he goes down.

"Ella! The stone!" I turn and see Marina being taken down by krauls. They rip at her legs and are biting her, dragging her down. They're energised by her blood; they won't stop now they've had a taste. She won't last long.

"The stone!" she shouts again desperately. My eyes widen in understanding. The stone I used in Dulce! It's with my bag by our chests but if I run fast enough I may be able to save some of the others. I nod as she's dragged down by the krauls, giving up the fight. I sob at the sight but I have to go. I just have to hope one of the others will save her.

I sprint down the path, deflecting the bullets racing after me. I hear a couple of shouts but I know the others won't let anything follow me; they must know what i'm getting. The image of Marina's predicament makes me run faster and I feel my legs scream in protest. I've never run this fast and I feel incredible, despite the destruction i'm leaving behind.

Suddenly, a fierce pain shoots up my leg and I stumble to a stop. I'm so close to the chests but I have to see if it's what I think it is. I cry out at the pain but I try to ignore it. I bend down and lift my trouser leg, my heart stopping in horror.

A scar is burning itself on my leg.

Who has died? Was it Marina, the injuries too much for her to bear? Or maybe one of the others, taken down when they were unprepared?

I start crying again but I have to go on. Whoever died would want me to carry on. I reach our chests and blindly search for the stone, the emotional pain making it hard for me to do anything. We were all so close to winning until Setrakus came with his army, but now we're doomed.

_No, we're not Ella. You have the stone, now you have to use it!_ I order myself, knowing i'm the only thing stopping us from being wiped out. I grab the stone and wipe the tears away. I need to make the others proud.

I race back towards the battle, my breath stopping at the scene ahead. Dust and smoke is everywhere and I can't see any of the others. But I would know if more Garde died; I would get another scar. I hear pikens roaring and krauls yapping away. That last noise makes me furious; they are the things that killed Marina.

I reach the battleground and despite myself, look around for the body of the Garde member who died. I see Five, Six and Nine still in battle, fighting bravely against the mogs. John is still down, clutching his leg, but he's not dead. He's writhing in pain but still managing to shoot some mogs. I'm impressed by his dedication and bravery.

My blood runs cold. That means it must be Marina or Eight.

Not my sister. We were a team.

I slowly turn to where Marina had been ambushed by the kraul, dreading to see what I know is there. She's not there; just a puddle of blood. I sob and press a hand to my mouth. Oh god, they dragged her body away as well.

"Ella! The stone!" I turn and see Eight holding Marina... who's alive. What? How is that possible? She's supposed to be dead but instead, she's very barely alive. I lean done and look at my ankle, but there's no scar.

Realisation hits me. Setrakus tricked me to stop me from getting the stone, to make me give up. He tricked my mind into thinking I was getting a scar! But I won't give up. Spurred on by seeing Marina alive, I look around for Setrakus. I see him walking among his troops, laughing at our efforts. He hasn't realised i'm back yet.

Blind rage rises in me and I race over, careless about my own safety. Like I did at Dulce, I throw the stone at him and he freezes when he sees it fly towards him. He cries out but can't stop it and it hits him in the arm.

At once, I notice a difference. Six whoops and turns invisible and so does Five. John heals himself and then uses lumen on the mogs. Adam begins to use his legacy as well and best of all, I see Marina begin to heal herself. I'm so delighted about knowing she'll be ok, that I forget about Setrakus in front of me.

I feel something slam into me and I cry out, falling to the ground. My ribs feel as though they're on fire and I clutch at them, crying. Setrakus leans over me, a furious look on his face whilst clutching his cane. That's what must have hit me. I try to scramble up but I can't. I begin to panic.

Is this when I die?

I finally jump up, fuelled by desperation, but by focusing so much on Setrakus, I forgot about the other mogs. I hear someone scream my name and then something hits the back of my head.

I crumple to my knees and then everything turns black.

Xxx

Six

Things aren't looking good for us.

Sure, Ella hit Setrakus with that stone again and we have our legacies back, but there's still a huge army ahead and we're a lot weaker than before. Marina's healing everyone who was injured but couldn't be saved when we didn't have our legacies. She's working on Sandor right now, much to Nine's obvious relief.

Nine is fighting mogs like a madman and to be honest, if he weren't here, I don't think we would have survived this. His eagerness to kill is a _huge_ advantage as well as his skills in battle. I can't see Five around but there's an explosion of ash every now and then so I guess she's invisible. John's covered in fire once more, killing mogs with just his presence, and Eight's showing us all how impressive his master legacy is.

I look over to my left and then my blood freezes. I see Ella on the ground, crawling away from Setrakus, terror on her face. She scrambles up but a mog looms behind her, raising a club. I scream her name but she's whacked over the head before she can react. She crumples to the ground and I see Setrakus raise his sword.

Crayton runs out and shoots Setrakus right in the face, not letting him touch her. He's just as fiercely protective as before. The bullets never hit Setrakus of course but he has to concentrate to stop them. During this time, Adam teleports in and grabs Ella and Crayton. Within seconds, all three of them are gone. Setrakus snarls in rage and advances into his army, hidden from me by the troops.

I raise my hands up and concentrate on creating a storm cloud. I feel my energy sapping as the clouds in the sky start moving around, pulled together by my legacy. I stumble a little by the sheer energy it takes for me to create this storm and I think Setrakus must be using some power of his to make it harder for me. I create lightning bolts that strike the five piken that were brought here. They roar as they fall to the ground and I strike them a couple more times each. They all die pretty quickly.

One less threat.

"Nice one, Six!" Nine yells, leaping over a fallen mog. He throws his staff into a group of mogs and it penetrates three mogs at once, all turning to ash. I think that's his new trick and he's showing it off. I roll my eyes as he grabs his staff.

"Show off" I mutter. He grins but continues to fight the mogs. Even Nine knows he needs to concentrate on bigger things right now.

Suddenly, something snakes round my ankle and pulls me down. I hit the ground and roll, trying to free myself. I see a gold whip snaking around my leg and I look up in anger to see Setrakus. He grins down at me.

"Number Six. Do you think you can beat me this time? You have your legacies after all" he muses. I lunge up and swing my sword at him, but his rises to meet mine. Our blades clash and the shock travels through my arm, shaking my body.

"Brave... stupid, but brave" he continues to mock me. I grit my teeth and swing my blade to his stomach. He deflects the blow once more but then twists our swords so mine is sent skittering away across the concrete. I duck as he swipes at me with his blade.

He drops his sword and aims a punch at me. I grab his fist and try to twist his arm and break it, but he's too good. He laughs and grabs my arm, swinging me around and letting me go. I lose my balance and fall to the ground but that won't stop me. I kick his knee and he stumbles, weakened slightly. I jump up and punch his side and he crashes to the floor.

I don't get to enjoy my victory too long.

He jumps up and is about to fight me again, when a sudden pain explodes in me. I gasp in shock as a blade appears in front of me, stained in blood. It came through my chest. I stumble and stare shocked at Setrakus as he starts to laugh at me. I forgot about the other mogs. Everything feels surreal apart from the pain.

The pain is the only things that's real to me.

The blade is removed and I fall to my knees, my hand at my chest. I feel blood begin to rise in my throat and I panic, realising i'm going to choke on my blood. I lean forward, trying not to cough up the blood.

"Oh dear, poor Number Six" Setrakus mocks, leaning over me. I can't say anything. I can't even call for help. I lean forward and begin coughing, blood dribbling down my chin. The pain is unbearable and the feeling of me dying is horrible.

I don't want to die.

Setrakus picks up his sword and rests the blade at my neck. I shiver at the cold metal. He pulls the blade back and I prepare for death. I close my eyes and think of John.

I don't want to die.

There's a sudden clashing noise and I stare in shock as my sword is deflecting Setrakus'. But it's not being held by me. I look up in shock and see Marina, of all people, fighting Setrakus. I want to shout at her, tell her this is not her fight. She can't beat him. She's one of our weakest fighters and we can't lose her because of her legacy to heal.

I feel myself fall back on the ground, the wound almost taking over me when I feel a hand pressed against my chest and everything goes icy. I look up to see Marina hover over me, concern on her face. She's healing me.

Everything becomes clearer and the pain begins to go. I can breathe better and soon, I can even sit up. I'm still weak but i'm alive. And that's what counts.

Marina leans back when I see Setrakus loom over her. How she managed to distract him long enough to heal me, I'll never know. I try to warn her but his hand grabs her hair and jerks her up. She's pulled away from me with a cry and I try to jump up but the world tilts. I see the amount of blood on my shirt and on the path; I've lost too much blood to be of much help now. I also think Setrakus is doing something to make me feel weaker than normal.

"No" I mutter weakly as Marina's thrown to the floor. She's weak as well; I have no idea how many people she's healed today. Probably too many and i'm sure I won't be the last person she heals.

Marina tries to crawl back as Setrakus brings his whip up, about to strike her. I run forwards but a mog knocks into me, making us both fall over. I stab him quickly in the heart and he turns to ash but it's too late. The whip hits Marina and she convulses on the floor, muffling her scream with her hand. The whip is agony, I know from experience. Setrakus laughs and I lunge for him, fury rising in me.

I manage to get two good hits in before i'm thrown away and I collapse on the floor again, the weakness taking over my body. Setrakus is definitely draining my energy. I look wildly around as he gleefully raises his whip again, intending to hit Marina again. Where are all the others?

They're all too far away and I realise that was Setrakus' tactic; to spread us apart. I need attention but how can I do that when I can barely stand? I hear Marina cry out again and I clench my fists.

I'm thinking about throwing myself at Setrakus again and trying to distract him but someone finally realised what's going on. Someone heard Marina's scream. Nine suddenly appears and rips the whip easily out of Setrakus' hands, a furious look on his face. He punches him square in the face and I want to cheer. All the energy in me comes rushing back and I jump up, eager to fight once more. But I can't beat Setrakus, i'm not strong enough right now. For now, Nine can have this fight.

Doesn't mean it's his in the future though.

I run forward and grab Marina, who looks pretty bad. She's been hit about three times but fortunately it looks like the black rock stuff isn't going to work today. Her clothes are already slightly torn from the krauls that attacked her earlier. She's not having a good day.

Nine continues to face off with Setrakus, both of them grinning madly as they fight one another. It's impressive to watch but I have other stuff to worry about to really appreciate the skill involved. I drag Marina away but she doesn't heal herself. She's probably only going to heal fatal injuries now. I see Adelina, Three and Adam all consulting nearby and I take her to them, an arm around her waist to stop her from falling.

"You need to stop healing people" I warn her. She laughs weakly.

"Right ok, I'll bear that in mind when someone's about to die" she mutters. I understand her bitterness; she really has no choice, even if it'll tire her out too much.

Three jumps forward when he see Marina and takes her from me carefully. Despite the heavy battle still going on, I grin. It's a good thing Eight is too preoccupied in killing mogs to see this. Marina sits down, Three hovering nervously over her. Ella lies nearby unconscious and I bet Marina will try to heal her next.

I observe the battle. We're not doing as badly anymore. Sandor, Henri, Crayton, Eight and John are in the thick of battle, killing mogs nonstop. BK is ripping through mogs like they're air. I guess Five's in there but I can't see her. Invisibility; one of the best legacies in my opinion.

"There are still at least 400 mogs!" Adelina shouts at me. She gestures for me and Adam to rejoin the battle. I groan but grab the sword she hands me. I know I have to do this.

I race forward and join the battle. I get a weary smile from John but then everything turns back to battle.

This is what we were saved for. To fight.

To win.

Xxx

Five

I've got a nice little routine going on here. Throw, stab, run.

I throw my daggers at mogs, then kill a couple with my sword and then run as they begin to realise where i'm standing. And since i'm invisible, no one knows where I'll be next.

I'm right in the thick of battle, mogs surrounding me. I can see John and Eight nearby, lighting up the steadily increasing darkness with their fire. They've both done a great job today, killing so many mogs. I see Six rejoin the battle, turning invisible like me. That's the best thing to do; no one knows where we are or when we'll strike.

I turn and swing my sword into a mogs' chest and it turns to ash. I look around for Nine but I can't see him. I hope he's all right; he can be stupid when it comes to battle. I stop for a moment and look for him when I spot him with Setrakus. Of course. Who else would be stupid enough to fight Setrakus?

I hear a muffled cry and see John dragged down by a mog. I slice through some mogs and then reach John, being held down my one mog whilst another prepares to stab him. They never get the chance.

Two daggers and they're both ash. John grins as I turn visible, helping him up.

"Thanks" he pants. He's sweating and covered in ash and blood like me. I nod, also out of breath when Eight appears. Some of the mogs have backed off a bit and we have a bit of space.

"How many are left?" he gasps, wiping his brow. I concentrate and then groan.

"350 roughly. We need to do something big" I mutter. John looks around, despairing.

"Like what?" he asks. I have an idea but it will probably exhaust me for the rest of the battle.

"Five?" Eight asks, recognising my face. I close my eyes and concentrate.

I had gotten the idea from earlier, when Six had created her storm. But i'm thinking bigger than a thunder storm, more like a natural disaster.

I hope this doesn't kill me.

I take control of the wind and begin to pull it all together, twirling it round and round. I imagine a huge tornado, made out of hurling winds. I feel my strength sapping and am barely aware of someone grabbing my arm, keeping me upright. I release the energy and hear a gasp. I open my eyes.

A huge twister rips through the army, sucking the mogs into the middle. It wrecks havoc on the army, throwing soldiers into buildings and the lake. Ash explodes everywhere, which the tornado then sucks up. When there are only a hundred or so mogs left, I release the air and the twister disappears. Huge winds are released, buffeting the mogs and blowing them over. The whole thing calms down and then stops.

None of our little army were touched.

I fall to the ground but someone catches me. I think it's Eight.

"That was awesome Five!" John says enthusiastically. I close my eyes.

"Ok...night" I mutter.

I think i'm out for a total of two minutes before I wake up. I want to be asleep so much longer but unfortunately, luck is not on my side today. I groan and prop myself up on my arms, my hair falling into my arms. I don't feel as bad as I thought I would which is probably not a good thing.

I look around and see John, Eight and Six doing excellent work on the remainders of the army. The Cepans are nearby, shooting away at the main bulk of mogs but also guarding Two and Ella, who are both unconscious. Marina is nearby but looks as though she should be asleep.

"How many people have you healed?" I ask accusingly. She grins wearily, trying not to fall asleep.

"You just created a tornado" she retorts. I groan again and stand up. She eyes me incredulously.

"You're not going back out there are you?" she asks. I nod and grip my sword.

"Once the armies gone, i'm useless. I don't have people to heal like you so I might as well waste the remainder of my energy there" I reason. She shakes her head but nods, crawling over to Ella. I begin to make my way to Nine and Setrakus.

Things are going wrong, I see that at once. Nine is losing badly; he's had some nasty hits and one of his arms is hanging uselessly, probably broken. Setrakus is just toying with him. Despair wells in me. What chance do we have? We might destroy the army but we still have to kill Setrakus. And how can we do that in our state?

Unless... No. It's a stupid idea. I try to block it out but it's too late.

Unless like the papers said, Pittacus will emerge only on our times of greatest need. He's _supposed_ to temporarily take his heir's body and then fight Setrakus. Well that's now right? Doesn't this count as a time of great need?

I turn to see John lob a huge fireball at more mogs and suspicion enters me. He should be exhausted but he's the most energetic of us all. He's been injured once but he healed that way too quickly... What if Pittacus has already been awoken and is just waiting for the right time to reveal himself?

I see the Cepans run towards John and the others, intent on helping them kill the rest of the mogs. John is still raging through the ranks, no sign of tiredness.

_It's him, you know it's him_ whispers that weird voice in me, the one I told to Adam once so long ago that could belong to one of the elders. Not my heir, that's Setrakus, but another one trying to help.

"John!" I shout. He looks over and so does Setrakus. He looks suspicious. Maybe he knows who Pittacus' heir is too but doesn't want to give it away by trying to constantly kill him.

John begins to make his way over and that's when I know I was right. Setrakus gets a look of panic and kicks Nine really hard in the stomach. He goes flying and lands pretty close to me, skidding across the pavement. Setrakus races over to me as well and I duck the blow he aims for me. Wow, he can run fast.

"John! It's you! You have to-!" I try to shout but Setrakus blocks me off with a blow to my face. I stumble but he doesn't let me fall. He grabs my face and brings a dagger close to me, our noses nearly touching. I head butt him and he stumbles away.

"John! You're Pittacus! You have to fight him!" I scream at him, finally getting it out. John had been making his way towards me but freezes when I say that. He stops and stares at me, not able to believe it.

If he didn't believe me, he'll trust Setrakus' reaction. In a blind rage at revealing the truth, he grabs a gun and shoots at me.

It's too fast. I can't concentrate enough to stop it.

I don't have to.

Someone else stops it but not with telekinesis. Nine jumped in front of me without thinking and the two bullets hit him right in the chest.

Everything after that goes very slowly.

John howls and throws himself at Setrakus, a golden aura flickering around him. I don't care anymore about the Pittacus thing, even though that looks like a good sign.

Nine falls to the ground and I kneel next to him, my hands pressing against his chest. No one else has seemed to notice what has happened but to me, this is it. This is my world dying.

I've been an idiot. He was always right, all along.

I realise i'm crying and shaking my head as Nine smiles up at me. Marina. I need to get Marina.

I turn and shout her name and I see her look over at me. She weakly rises but begins to come to us. Not fast enough for my taste but it'll have to do.

I turn back to Nine, tears dripping down my face and onto his chest. His face is filled with pain but he tries to speak.

"I love you" he whispers.

I find myself crying harder, shaking my head. I won't let him say those words; it means he's giving up on me. Means he's accepted death.

I won't let him die. If he dies, the human part of me, the part that cares will die.

I can't live without him.

I find myself leaning down and kissing him; what's the point in hiding anymore? His lips are salty, blood staining them, but it doesn't matter. I love him, nothing matters but that. Before he can kiss back I pull away, but his eyes widen and he smiles slightly. Until he starts coughing, blood dripping down his chin. Panic fills me again.

"You're not going to die!" I order him. He tries to nod but just ends up coughing more.

"Do you love me?" he whispers through gritted teeth, using all his energy to get the confirmation he needs. I look back for Marina who is trying to get to us quickly but she's just so exhausted. I hope she can heal him.

"Five!" he says sharply, taking a huge amount of effort. I turn back to him and brush his hair out of his eyes.

"You know I do" I whisper. He shakes his head.

"You need to say it" he says stubbornly. I look at him tenderly just as Marina appears next to us. She presses her hands on his chest and it begins to heal, as I stroke his hair away from his damp forehead. The relief I feel is incredible, making me feel a million times better.

He'll live.

Marina collapses next to me in a dead faint; clearly having done far too much healing. Nine sits up shakily, one hand on his chest whilst the other wipes the blood of his chin. He looks shocked but then his eyes fix on me. He reaches out and brushes my cheek; making me close my eyes in pure joy he's alive.

"You need to say it" he repeats, even though he's alive and well. He needs to know that I love him; he needs the confirmation.

I don't even hesitate.

I say it.

* * *

**I actually realised after I wrote this that the tornado created by Five was slightly inappropriate after the one on Monday in Oklahoma. I hope no one reading this was affected but if they were, my condolenses and I hope everything will get better for you.**

**Question: Which Garde's legacies would you have if you could choose?**

**Hope you enjoyed and please review!**


	42. Chapter 42

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies...**

**Hi guys!**

**Thank you all so much for the HUGE response to my recent chapters! It's so lovely and I love reading all your thoughts about the chapters :) thank you all so much!**

**This chapter is a lot shorter than some of the recent ones but they will become longer afterwards. I'm going to continue with this story right till the end and not post any sequels, unless you really want me to. You guys seem to know this story well and a sequel might be confusing and fewer people would bother to read it.**

**Also, I'm glad you guys enjoyed the Five/Nine bit even if it was cheesy :)**

**So read on and enjoy**

* * *

John

I am Pittacus.

I thought it before but now I _know_ it.

I feel it.

I feel his strength in me, running through my veins. We've merged our strength and now i'm stronger than any of the other Garde. Maybe even stronger than Setrakus.

I feel an age old hatred rise up in me when I see him, standing there with his cane and whip. I feel Pittacus in me, wanting to show my body how to fight Setrakus. I let it; I need his knowledge, his experience.

"John! You're Pittacus! You have to fight him!" Five shouts to me, Setrakus hits her and she falls. I see him grab his gun and shoot her but Nine jumps forward. Blood stains his chest and he falls to the ground.

I shout out in rage and feel Pittacus in me agree. This monster has to be stopped. This monster has to be _destroyed._

I lunge for Setrakus but I've never attacked like this. My moves are smooth and elegant as though I've been doing this for years. A golden glow flickers over my skin and I see Setrakus' eyes widen in horror.

"Pittacus" he whispers, holding his sword out in front of him, keeping me back. I feel a sneer come to me.

"Hello brother" I reply but the voice isn't mine. It's deeper, more confident. I realise i'm no longer in control of my body, i'm just watching from the back. Yet i'm vital for Pittacus to fight; if I weren't here, he could never come back.

I'm his heir.

"This isn't possible" Setrakus whispers. I walk forwards swinging my sword in a complicated swirl. Setrakus' eyes follow the pattern nervously and I see him swallow. It's good to see him scared for once.

"Lorien is with me. Anything's possible" I reply.

He swings his sword at me but I deflect it with a flick of my wrist. I feel strong and confident. I can win this. I know I can.

I swing for him but Setrakus' blade comes up to meet mine. I turn and aim for his stomach but once more, he deflects it. This routine feels familiar; this isn't the first time we've fought. He aims his whip for my feet but I jump up and the whip misses me. I smirk and punch him in the face.

Setrakus staggers back, clutching his nose, and I see real fear in his eyes. He's not prepared for Pittacus; not prepared for this fight. He's used too much energy fighting Nine.

"Run" I find myself saying, mocking him. Pittacus inside me is delighted at this turn of events. Setrakus realises he's lost this fight and he takes a step back. His eyes are filled with a hate so strong it's a wonder I don't spontaneously combust.

"This isn't over. I will kill you" he threatens. I lunge forward to deal him a lethal blow but he's not there. He's gone, he teleported away. But it's ok, this was never the final battle.

But one day, I will kill him. I know I will.

Suddenly, the energy from Pittacus that had filled me leaves and I fall to my knees, exhausted. I'm just Four again, just John. Pittacus has gone back in hiding inside of me but I know now that I can contact him whenever I need help. He's a part of me now and will never leave.

I see Eight and the others finishing off the last of the mogs though there are very few left. I crawl over to Nine who is sitting up, inspecting his chest. The wound has gone; Marina healed him. She's now sitting next to Nine, looking half-dead. She's grey with exhaustion and I smile at her, taking her hand. Five must have gone back to the fighting after she knew Nine was all right.

"Thanks Marina" Nine says, standing up straight. I get up too, helping Marina stand. She looks a little bit awestruck with me. I think the whole Pittacus thing must have shocked her.

It shocked me all right.

"What just happened?" she asks. I laugh and shrug.

"I'll tell you later" I respond. She nods and looks over to where the others are. We watch as Eight shoots a last stream of fire and the rest of the mogs die.

That's it.

We've won.

Usually in films when people win, they jump up and shout with joy, not preparing for a trick or waiting for another attack. Here, we just stand around looking stunned and very tired. I begin to make my way over to the others, Marina stumbling along next to me. We reach them and we all just stand around, looking at each other.

I don't think it's hit us yet.

"Everyone ok? No one needs healing?" Sandor asks, looking round. We're still sort of expecting an attack even though I know, none will come.

"I need sleep" Five mutters. Eight laughs and nods. It's like that's the unofficial announcement to celebrate and we all move into action at once.

Adam hugs Five whilst Sandor reaches out to Nine, who grins in joy. Eight teleports next to me and pulls Marina into his arms, both of them shutting their eyes in relief. Three high-fives Two who has woken up and I see Ella hugging Crayton. Sam and Malcolm talk to each other energetically; they never seem to be miserable.

I go to Six and hold her close to me, burying my head in her hair. Exhaustion hasn't hit me yet but I relax in her arms anyway. It doesn't matter if I do; this is Six, she'll protect me. I pull back and then kiss her. I don't care if Henri or the others are watching. All that matters is Six.

Our kiss is slow; passionate and filled with relief that the other in alive. I wrap my hands around her waist whilst she twists her hands in my hair. Nothing else matters right now except for her; all I can think about is her. She tastes of ash but she makes even that taste good. This feels so right and I can't believe I ever thought Sarah was the better option.

"Oi, lovebirds, we need to go soon!" I pull back and see Nine grinning at me. Still the same as ever. I roll my eyes but can't help the smile on my face. Henri grins at me and claps me on the back.

"Nicely done, kiddo" he says. I smile back at him.

"Thanks. Couldn't have done it without you" I reply. He shrugs but he's pleased by that comment. Six links her hand in mine and I smile down at her.

"You look tired" I say. She smiles and rolls her eyes.

"We all are John" she replies. I nod and then turn to the others.

"How will we get out of here?" I ask. Sandor frowns.

"There are a lot of abandoned cars out there right now. I say we take two and get the hell out of here before people begin to realise what role we had" he says.

"Where are our chests?" Eight asks, an arm firmly around Marina, helping her stand. I feel bad looking at her; I should have helped with the healing. Instead, I left her to do it all.

"We got them when it looked like you were winning" Sam says, gesturing to a pile of chests a couple of metres away.

"Cool, let's go then" Nine suggests, grinning at me.

It's good to have him back.

Xxx

Adam

I feel privileged.

I'm actually being serious. And it's all because i'm in the 'awesome car'. Nine's words not mine; I would think of something more inventive.

Basically, we had to split up the group into two and I was put in the one with all the Garde. Which is a big compliment seeing as last time Nine and I talked, I was still sure he was going to turn me into ash. John, Five, Six, Marina, Eight, Nine, Ella and I are all in this van while the others are in the other van.

John is driving with Six next to him and Ella next to the window. The rest of us are all squashed in the storage area but after what we've been through, I really don't care. BK is sleeping on Ella's lap, exhausted after he killed so many mogs in the battle. She's leaning against the window, also fast asleep.

I'm not sure where we're headed; the Cepans are debating where to stay and lay low for a while. Right now, a greasy take away and sleep sounds good to me. I don't care about anything else.

Five is sitting next to me, her face grey with exhaustion. After her impressive tornado, she's been pretty much drained of energy. She's leaning against me and her head's resting on my shoulder. Nine sits in the corner but I see his eyes flicker to her every now and then. He doesn't seem to like that she's resting on me.

His feelings for her are so obvious , it's painful. I have no idea how no one else has noticed.

Eight smiles at me wearily, his head resting on Marina's. He and I are a lot closer after spending all that time together and I smile back at him, glad he's ok. Marina is fast asleep on his shoulder; right now comfort is not an issue for her. She just needs sleep.

"I really want pasta" Five mumbles. I laugh and roll my eyes.

"Pasta? Why pasta?" I ask. She grins and stretches. Nine can't take his eyes off her.

"Carbs. Loads of carbs" she mutters. I grin.

"True. But I think sleep is a priority over pasta" I retort. She sighs and pulls back.

"Nine, did you just hear that?" she asks pretending to look disappointed. Nine grins and nods.

"Sorry man, but I agree with Five on this. _Nothing _beats food" he says. He shares a smile with Five and I try not to roll my eyes.

"You would agree with whatever she said if she fluttered her eyelashes at you" I say.

Nine blushes and looks down at his hands. Five also blushes but she looks pleased. Oh dear god. Please say i'm not going to have to put up with this from her. I was always relying on her to be my ally against the hopeless romantics in our group. Now she's joined them.

Luckily all the others are asleep so they didn't hear that comment otherwise I think I would be demoted from Nine's list of who counts as awesome. He leans back against the car, looking a million miles away. Five snuggles back into me and I wrap my arm around her, only as a friendly gesture although Nine still looks a little jealous.

"Night Adam" she murmurs to me.

"It's not night time" I reply but she's already asleep. Nine smiles sadly and closes his eyes.

Poor guy. He couldn't have chosen a harder girl to fall in love with.

Xxx

Unknown POV

I walk briskly down the bare white corridors, my heart pounding from more than excursion. The council wants to see me, wants to check up on me. You don't mess with these people; it's too dangerous.

Unless you're _them. _Then you can do anything.

I reach the end of the corridor and stand in front of the double doors, made purely out of a metal I've never seen before. It shines so brightly I'm temporarily blinded but I quickly blink my eyes. I need all my senses to get through this alive.

I swipe my key card and then take my potentially last free breathe. I walk into the room. At once, I notice the long table with the three heads of department concerning extra-terrestrial life. It's a secret unit, one the public will never know about. I worked for them until this day.

Is this my last?

"Please sit, Agent" one voice says. I nod and take a seat in the chair in front of me, standing alone in front of the table. I feel like I'm in the firing line.

_You are._

A cold gust blows through the air conditioning making me shiver in fear and cold. I look at the people in front of me; two men and one woman, all in suits and all with emotionless masks on their faces.

"Do you know why you're here, Agent?" the woman asks, pushing her glasses on her nose to read the file in front of her. I shake my head and then clear my throat, needing my voice. I clench my sweaty hands together.

"No, Ma'am" I reply. She nods quickly and then a guard that I didn't notice before walks over to me. My heartbeat increases even more, if possible, but he only hands me a file. I take it gingerly and look up at the agents confused.

"Wh-what's this?" I ask, my voice stumbling in nerves. One man smiles slightly, making him seem almost human.

"Look inside, first page" I do so and gasp when I see the picture.

It's a man, around 30 years old but he's long dead. His body is covered in signs of horrific torture and his face is fixed in a mask of fear. He's in a state of decomposing. I stare up at the agents aghast and one shakes his head in sympathy.

"Mark Downey, aged 32. He was born and raised in Paradise, Ohio" another explains. It's the woman again and her badge proudly presented on her jacket reads _Elisabeth Roberts._

"I don't understand... why are you showing me this?" I ask stammering. Roberts looks at me her eyes cold as she stands up and walks to one wall, a huge map on the wall. Certain points here and there are marked with coloured pins but it means nothing to me.

"30 US citizens have been captured and tortured by that race we're supposed to be working with, the Mogadorians" she explains. I furrow my brow in confusion. I know all this; I helped work on the Treaty with them.

"But they swore-" I say. She turns around abruptly.

"Yes, they swore not to kill any humans. But many citizens are killed and more will die. Turn the page" I nod and flip over and then cringe again.

It's another picture but of a girl with long brown hair. She's crying as I see more signs of torture on her and bile rises in my throat. She can't be more than 18 years old. My heart twists in sympathy and disgust; no one deserves to be treated like this.

"One of the Loric. Marina, Number Seven. Only 17 in that picture" the second woman says. I nod and look away from the horrific photo.

More pictures are underneath and I flip through, shocked by each one. There's a human girl with blonde hair, crying in one as she's strapped down to a chair. In another, a muscular looking boy who's been tied up is watching something with an emotionless face but I can't see what he's looking at. It can't be good judging by his posture.

"Agent, the mogs are our allies, they help us with weapons and technology. We've learned more than we ever could have thought about space and other life-sustaining planets" Roberts says. "The Loric are our enemies, they destroy our towns and torture our citizens" she says. I nod along, not sure where she's leading with this. This has been ingrained into our minds from day one; why is she saying it again?

"They're the evil ones, set to destroy humanity and take over Earth... that's what we've been told" the second man continues, his dark brows scrunched up. I look at him nervously.

"Then what's the problem?" I ask. Roberts sighs and walks to me, until she's leaning over me in an intimidating way.

"If the Loric are the 'bad guys' and the mogadorians are the 'good guys', helping out humanity..." she says, waiting for me to continue. I finally begin to realise what she's saying.

"Why are the Mogadorians torturing humans? How do we know they're the 'good guys'" I say. Roberts nods, a cold smirk on her face as she walks away.

"Exactly...How do we know?"

* * *

**Oooh, what's going on here? Are the mogs going to have another problem to deal with?**

**Question: If you could date one Garde, who would it be and why? :D **

**Please review!**


	43. Chapter 43

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies...**

**Hi guys!**

**Thank you all sooooo much for reviewing; i'm so glad you like this story and take the time to review. I really appreciate every single one of them :) You guys are all fantastic readers and supporters! Thank you!**

**So, most of you guys would date Eight and I have to agree with that; he's awesome. Marina is one lucky girl :D**

**This is a _huge_ chapter, four POVs, and it's a calm chapter after all of the fighting. But don't worry, some important stuff will come in this update :)**

**So read on and enjoy...**

* * *

Marina

The rain patters against the window, rolling down the glass. I can hear the wind howl outside; lashing at the house but inside it's lovely and warm. It's safe.

I smile and sigh, stretching out in bed. Eight lies next to me, gently snoring, his arm around my waist with my head on his chest. We've been asleep for the past three hours but I still feel exhausted. The drain from the battle is still on me and I've been eating and sleeping more than usual, trying to get my energy back. In fact, so has everyone else come to think of it.

After a while, Eight shifts slightly next to me and I smile as his eyes begin to open. He groans and puts a hand to his face, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He looks dishevelled; his hair is a mess of curls and his clothes are all crumpled. Yet, I don't think he's ever been more gorgeous than he is now.

"Finally. I was beginning to think you wouldn't wake up" I remark, lifting my head. He smiles lazily and shrugs.

"I'm warm and comfortable. Do you blame me?" he asks. I grin and nod.

"Of course"

He grins and pulls my face to his, kissing me languidly. I wrap my arm around his neck and move closer. One of his hands around my waist moves up ever so slightly so that it touches my bare back under my shirt. I shiver at his warm touch and increase the intensity of the kiss, when the door bursts open and Nine enters.

"Hey, you don't happen to know if- whoa, whoa guys! You should have told me you were busy" he says, seeing us in bed. I blush at once and pull away from Eight, sitting up in the process.

"It's not like that!" I protest bright red. Eight just lies back, a smirk on his face at my embarrassment. Nine grins and winks at me.

"Yeah that's true. It doesn't usually work with clothes" he says grinning wickedly. I go even redder if possible and he bursts out laughing at me, Eight joining in. This is so embarrassing! Eight senses my humiliation and chucks a spare pillow at Nine.

"You're just jealous. Get lost" he says grinning. Nine laughs and salutes at us.

"Sure thing. Just keep it down, I don't want to have to give Ella 'the talk' yet" he says, leaving the room and shutting the door. Just as I thought my blush was disappearing, back it is in full force.

"Nine!" I yell, pressing my hands to my flaming cheeks. Oh god, please can he not tell the others! I'll never hear the end of it!

Eight chuckles behind me and I turn around and hit his chest, gently though.

"Don't laugh! It's embarrassing!" I exclaim. He simply grins and winds an arm around my waist pulling me to him. I can't help but blush now after Nine's comments and his grin widens.

"He was only joking" he reassures me, stroking my cheeks.

_Please don't blush, please don't blush_ I pray but luck is so not on my side at the moment. Sure enough, my traitorous cheeks turn red once more and Eight laughs gently. He thinks this is one big joke and I suppose I would find it funny any other time. But i'm a shy person and I get easily embarrassed.

"You're cute when you blush" he remarks. Cue yet another blush. I think I have a problem.

"No i'm not! I'm like a tomato!" I protest. Eight cocks his head to the side.

"Nope, I'd say it's a healthy glow" he says. I scoff.

"Oh please. You're being nice. I look as red as a cherry!" I say. He grins.

"Hmm, I like cherries" he says. I'm over the moon when I don't feel a blush. Probably because my cheeks can't get any redder at this moment.

"So I _do _look like a cherry! You admitted it!" I say in triumph. He grins at me in affection and nods.

"A sexy cherry" he confirms. Sexy? He thinks i'm sexy? I've been called beautiful loads of times by him, but never sexy. Sexy is for the girls with confidence; not girls like me.

Eight notices my cynicism and shakes his head, sighing. "You don't see yourself very well" he says. "I don't know why. Girls twice the size of you and half as pretty as you have more confidence" he says seriously, tucking my hair back. I shrug and avoid his gaze.

"Modesty's a good trait to have" I defend myself. He laughs and turns my face back to his gently.

"Yes, but you have too much. Stop being so self-conscious around us all; if it weren't for you and your legacy, we'd probably all be dead" he says. I can't stop the smile that appears and he grins back at me.

I lie down again my head on the pillow next to him with my back to him, his arm resting lightly on my waist. I feel peaceful and my eyes begin to droop with weariness but I refuse to let myself sleep. I don't want to; I want to spend all the time I can with Eight. We don't have enough quiet time together as it is. There's a long silence as we're both immersed in our thoughts.

After ten minutes, I hear him sigh and I get a general feeling of unhappiness from his mind. I don't usually pry but I know he's upset about something and I want to help him.

"What are you thinking about?" I ask, sitting up and looking at him. He smiles sadly and reaches out to brush my cheek.

"Reynolds" he says. He doesn't have to say more, I know he's hurting that Reynolds isn't here. I lean down and prop myself up on his chest, running my fingers over it. He's wearing a t-shirt but I can still feel the hard muscles underneath tense at my touch.

"I'm sorry... I know you wish he was here" I say. He nods and looks away out of the window. He feels conflicted but I don't want to pry. He has to talk out of his own will.

"I just... I just wish I could make amends with him like you did with Adelina" he says, his gaze meeting mine. His beautiful green eyes are troubled and I nod slowly.

"You're annoyed she came back" I state. I didn't need to read his mind; I just know Eight that well. He nods and sighs, resting his hand on my hip. My shirt's ridden up slightly and his fingers trace the exposed skin there. I feel small trails of fire shoot through my skin where he touches me and I try to concentrate on the conversation.

"Yes" he murmurs. I can understand, even if it hurts that he wishes Adelina weren't here. He doesn't think she deserved to be given a second chance whereas Reynolds did. And I suppose if I were in his situation, I'd feel the same.

"I'm just jealous, that's all. And after Chicago, it's like everything's just hit me all at once so i'm a bit sensitive" he explains, his fingers still tracing patterns my hip and lower back. I swallow and nod, reaching out to brush his cheek with my hand. He closes his eyes.

"You have every reason to be upset...and jealous" I say.

I begin tracing his face and when my fingers reach his lips, they part and his warm breath washes over my fingers. I pull my hand away, unsure of my reaction to him. These feelings are just so strong! Adelina had once told me that the Loric love more intensely and have more trust in their partners than humans ever will. Once we love someone, it never disappears.

"The pain will go eventually... I just have to deal with it" he says, opening his eyes and turning away. He looks so lonely that all I want to do is comfort him. I reach out and stroke his hair and he smiles slightly.

"Talk to me about it. Don't keep it all locked up" I beg. He still doesn't look at me and shrugs.

"Why? It's not as though you can do anything. Besides I don't feel like I can talk to you about it" he says looking away. I feel as though I've been slapped and I jerk in shock. I pull back and he looks at me, a confused look on his face.

"If that's how you feel, then fine" I say calmly but in turmoil on the inside. He doesn't feel as though he can talk to me. I thought it was agreed that we would always be there for the other but if he doesn't trust me enough to reveal his issues, then how can we go on? I feel tears at the back of my eyes and I try to blink them away.

"Marina, wait!" he calls as I climb off the bed. He sits up and grabs my arm. I pull it away but don't go. I stand there with my arms crossed.

"Sorry, that came out wrong" he says. He kneels in front of me on the bed but doesn't put his arms around me. "For the first bit, I meant that you can't save Reynolds, so you can't fix the problem, even though I bet you would if you could" he says with a rueful smile. I simply wait.

"And for the second bit, I don't feel as though I can talk to you because you don't know how I feel. Not because you don't know me well enough, which you do by the way, just because you don't understand the situation. Only Five and Six would know how I feel" he says. I nod, understanding though I still feel hurt. He pulls me to him and I sit on the bed, his arm firm around my waist. He doesn't want to let me go now.

"But you've been there for me as much as you can which is more than anyone else has done or would do. You have no idea how dependant I am on you" he says, leaning his head on my shoulder. I smile.

"You would do the same. Sorry, I overreacted" I reply. He nuzzles his face into my hair and I can feel his lips against my neck. I shiver and I feel his lips smile against my skin.

"I love you" he murmurs. I grin fully now and pull his head up to mine. We kiss, our lips moving slowly against each other. He pulls me back into a lying position, while we're still kissing, and both of our heads rest on the pillow. Nothing matters except Eight. Nothing is important to me right now; my whole world is him and the feelings burning through me.

He pulls away and I pull the blanket tighter around me, slightly cold. He smiles, reaching out and brushing my cheek. I smile back and stretch my body, stiff from being asleep in an uncomfortable position. I don't fail to notice his appreciative glance, which makes me smile shyly.

"I suppose this is where I say 'I love you too'" I say. Eight grins and leans close so our faces are close together.

"That would be nice" he whispers. Our lips meet again and we kiss lazily, both of us enjoying the comfort the other offers. I eventually pull away and smile at him.

"Well then I love you too" I say. He laughs and kisses my nose cutely. I blush and snuggle closer to him, his arms tightening around me. I smile against his chest and close my eyes.

"I don't want this moment to ever end" he mutters against my hair. I smirk and pull back.

"Since when are you so romantic? Are you trying to make this like a scene from a romance novel?" I ask laughing. He grins but blushes slightly at my teasing.

"I think you should sleep. You look tired" he says, avoiding my gaze. I laugh again and kiss him lightly on the lips. He grins and I roll my eyes. He's always so smug every time we kiss.

I rest my head back on his chest and I close my eyes, enjoying the moment. I relax in his embrace, knowing he'll protect me, no matter what.

Xxx

Nine

Despite the rain pouring outside, i'm still running. My feet splash in the puddles, soaking my ankles and trainers. My hoodie is completely drenched but I continue on, enjoying my own company. The house is packed with people now and although that means more allies, I still like my own space.

I draw to a stop and rest my hands on my knees, breathing deeply. I've run way too much today and should probably think about heading back. The others might get worried about me.

Nah, screw that. They won't even notice i'm gone.

There's so much romance going in that house; it's sickening. Granted, Marina and Eight aren't bad in public but when I walked in on them earlier... whoa, there was some passion right there. John just doesn't give a damn about privacy; he kisses Six whenever he wants, never mind who's watching. And he doesn't hold back when kissing her either.

I sigh and turn back when something slams into my back. I react without thinking and spin on my heel but the attacker's not there. I twist around, wishing I'd bought my pipe staff with me.

"Who's there?!" I demand, my hands clenched into fists. _No one_ attacks me and gets away with it.

I'm suddenly kicked in my stomach and I fall down. I grunt, jumping up again and lunging for the figure in black. They're too fast and dart out of the way. I throw a punch at my attacker but they're not there. How are they doing this?

My right knee is kicked roughly and I stumble when my legs slip from under me because of the mud. I fall on my back but scramble to my knees when someone appears behind me and a cold dagger is pressed to my throat. I hold my breath and wait, biding my time.

"Well, would you look at this? The 'unbeatable' Nine, taken down by a girl" I grin at the sarcastic voice and shake my head.

"Hey Five" I say. She laughs and removes the dagger. I jump up and turn around, a smile on my face despite just having my ass handed to me. I'm secretly relieved that it's just her and not another enemy. Even _I've_ had enough of fighting recently.

Five stands there with her arms crossed and a smirk across her face. She's wearing leggings and a black hoodie but unlike me, had the sense to bring weapons with her. Without saying a word, we start walking back to the house, my clothes covered in mud. Fortunately, the rain washes it away pretty quickly.

"Had to get out of the house too, huh?" I ask. She nods, putting her dagger back onto her belt.

"Definitely._ You're_ sick of all the romance and you can't even read minds" she says. I shrug and appreciate how lucky I am to not have to listen to mushy thoughts all the time.

"I bet John's the worst, right?" I ask. I saw him with Sarah and now with Six. He's a romantic at heart.

Five laughs and nods. She puts on a deeper voice and imitates him. "Oh Six, she's look so beautiful, like a warrior queen" she says. I begin to laugh as she continues. I can totally imagine John thinking this.

"I love her hair; it's so thick and shiny and it smells so nice. Her eyes are so beautiful, I could get lost in them. I'm so lucky to have her" she says, her deeper voice wavering with her giggles. I'm also laughing away; she got the impression just right.

"Damn Five, I feel sorry for you" I say. She shrugs and sighs dramatically.

"The troubles of a Loric girl" she declares. I grin and shake my head.

"It's worse for guys" I say automatically. It's the natural reaction whenever that argument comes up. Five comes to a stop and puts her hands on her hips.

Uh oh.

"How is it worse for guys?" she asks. Oh god, i'm going to have a debate with her. Which means I'll lose. I swear, she would be an awesome lawyer back on Lorien.

"Um, because we have to be all macho and that's hard when a girl half your weight can beat you up?" I say, my voice rising at the end. I couldn't think of a better argument and it shows. She smirks and shakes her head.

"That was a crap excuse Nine. And yeah, I totally beat your ass. Don't you forget it" she says. I grin and we continue to walk back to the house.

I think back to Chicago when I leaped out to save her. I don't regret it; I would do it again if I had to. But i'm starting to give up on Five, even if she did say she loved me. She still seems determined to stay away, so what's the point in fighting for it, if she doesn't want it. I still love her, I always will, but maybe it's better to just sticking as friends. Maybe if we ever do save Lorien, we can think about a relationship then. I'll think of my decision as backing off for now... until there's a good time to strike.

"Nine, I was thinking... about us..." she begins but I interrupt. She's just going to reinforce what she's told me before and I need to tell her my revelation. I need to tell her I understand.

"Five, it's ok. I understand what you're trying to say now. You just want to protect us from Setrakus. So don't worry, I won't pester you anymore" I say. She seems stunned and her face closes off. I thought she'd be pleased but instead she doesn't look too happy. I shake the thought off. I don't want to get my hopes up anymore.

"Oh, ok" she stutters. Must be shocked that I've decided to be reasonable for once. It's a pretty understandable reaction. I smile at her.

"But we can still be friends, hell we already are" I say. She nods and looks away, her arms folded. She looks conflicted and I wonder if she's not happy about my decision.

"Are you sure? I mean-" she begins to say but I cut her off. I draw to a stop and reach out grabbing the tops of her arms gently. I smile at her reassuringly.

"Don't worry. I'll deal with it and now you don't have to worry about Setrakus using it against us. I'm cool with it. Don't worry; our feelings will probably disappear soon anyway. Bet they weren't that strong in the first place" I say, hiding my inner pain. I smile at her cheerfully and she smiles back, but it falls apart after a couple of seconds.

"Well, i'm gonna go run some more" she says, turning away. I frown, confused by her mood.

"I thought you'd already done some?" I ask. She shakes her head.

"Not as much as you, i'm not that tired. See you around" she says, looking down. She turns invisible and I hear her run off, her feet splashing in the puddles.

I shrug at her funny behaviour and run to the house, wanting to get out of the rain. As I enter, Adelina jumps up.

"Don't get water all over the floor!" she exclaims. Must be a reaction from her days as a nun. She loves discipline. To be honest, it's a wonder she doesn't make us prayer before we eat. I imagine her trying to force Sandor to do that but funnily enough, I can't see it happening.

I ignore her and go to the fridge, pulling out a beer. I see Sandor raise his eyebrow disapprovingly from the couch but I just ignore him. Like he can talk, with his martini glass in his hand. I take a sip and a chill runs through me from the cold liquid.

"Nice run?" Sandor asks looking up. I nod and he smiles, drinking the last of his drink. He looks at me expectantly and I pluck his glass out the air with my telekinesis. In Chicago, I was always annoyed when I had to do this for him. Now, I appreciate every moment with him.

I pour out the martini for him and present it to him, pleased with my work. I find it so much easier to do now than before. And trust Sandor to stock the place with alcohol first instead of proper food. He let the others deal with that.

He stands up, putting his book down on the table, and gestures for me to follow him. Curious, I do and we go into the study. Well that's what we call it. It's just a room with a desk, some chairs and some books.

"Yeah?" I ask. I haven't really had the chance to have a real heart-to-heart with him since he returned and I'm not sure what to say. He settles down on a chair and gestures for me to sit on the one opposite, but I stand in front of him, my arms crossed.

"I thought you might like a chat about what happened...clear the air and all that" he says uncertainly, his glass held between his hands. I sigh and sit down on the chair. I'm not very good at baring my emotions.

"What do you wanna talk about?" I ask, pretending to not understand him. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

"Don't play stupid Nine" he mutters. I can't help but grin and I see his expression lighten. "I'm talking about West Virginia" he says. I turn serious, the memories flooding back to me at once. I wince and try to block them out.

"How did they catch you?" I ask. I always wanted to know how they got him when I was captured.

"There was this magazine, 'They Walk Among Us'. They had an article on Mogadorians and I wanted to follow it up. So I went to the place where they printed it and they caught me" he says. I nod and look away, guilt filling me. I still blame myself for everything, even if he is alive now.

"They killed Maddy" I blurt out. I needed to get it off my chest. Sandor reaches across and with a very uncharacteristic show of affection, takes my hand.

"What happened?" he asks gently. I sigh and meet his eyes. They're kind and I know he won't judge me.

"She was always working for them...they had her family" I say slowly. Sandor nods; I bet he always had suspicions about her but never wanted to face them. "Once we were captured...a piken killed her and her family...I had to watch" I say, my voice turning into a whisper at the end. I can't get the memories out of my head.

"They'll pay for this. The mogs" Sandor says, his voice low and hard. I look up and nod, but I can't say anything. There's a long silence, both of us immersed in our memories.

"I hate seeing what this has done to you... You know, you used to be so energetic when you were younger. On the ship, nobody could ever get you to stop moving" Sandor says, humour in his voice. I feel a smile creep up onto my face.

"There was one time, where you pushed Marina too far and made her cry. I was about to come over and tell you off but Six came up and punched you. Do you remember that?" he asks. I grin properly and shake my head.

"I bet I did something stupid after that though" I guess. Sandor laughs and nods.

"Yep. You tried to hit her back but then One went on her side. You were, let's say, defeated pretty quickly." I laugh and shake my head.

"I wish I could see us on the ship. Just have some childhood memories" I say wistfully. Sandor sighs.

"I know...But anyway, we have more important stuff to do. Ready to find out who your elder is?"

Xxx

Two

"So, do you know how to fight at all?" I look up and see Three leaning over the sofa, grinning at me.

"What?" I ask. I had been completely absorbed in my book, so I wasn't sure what he just said. He grins and flops down on the sofa next to me. I blush slightly; a result of my huge crush on him.

"Did you do any training before you died?" he asks. He makes it sound so casual and I feel a grin appear on my face despite myself.

"A bit, but i'm better with guns. You?" I reply. He shrugs.

"Yeah, I did some. But i'm behind now because I was killed" he replies. I nod.

"I know. It's so weird. One minute i'm killed and then the next minute i'm waking up in a base in England" I say. He smiles.

"England, huh?"

"Yeah, that's where I was killed" I say. He falls silent and looks away. I feel quite awkward; I don't know what to talk about with him. The only thing we have in common is our resurrection.

I find myself studying him out of the corner of my eye. He's quite good looking with tanned skin and dark black hair. In fact, he's pretty similar to Eight but Three's hair isn't curly. Also Three's not as built up like all the other guys are but then he is at least two to three years younger.

"What about you?" I ask and he turns to me, a small smile on his face.

"What about me?" he asks. I blush again and nervously tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Where were you killed?" I ask. He turns sober and looks away from me.

"Kenya. Adam tried to warn me... clearly it didn't work" he says. I nod and then mustering all my courage, reach out and take his hand. He doesn't say anything but I see a small smile appear on his lips.

"Oh hey, guys" I look up, grateful at the interruption. Ella walks into the room and settles on the couch opposite. Like me, she has red hair and freckles but she manages to look nice with it. I just look stupid, especially when I blush.

"Where are the others?" Three asks, smiling at her. She grins back; she's at ease with us and I think she likes not being the weakest one now.

Now it's just me.

"Umm, some of them were in the kitchen last time I checked" she replies.

"Johnny and Six are in their room. And I am not interrupting again; not after last time" Nine says, sauntering in with a smirk on his face. Eight and Marina follow, Marina blushing slightly.

"For God's sake Nine! Stop it!" she says. He grins and flops down onto the sofa next to Ella, ruffling her hair. She bats him away, giggling. Marina and Eight settle on the last sofa, leaning into the other. I see Three flush slightly looking at Marina and I feel a flash of jealousy. I know he adores her after she saved him in the base. I wish I was like her; really pretty with amazing legacies.

"So, you guys up for training tomorrow?" Nine asks, stretching out on the sofa. He's so tall; he takes up the whole room. Luckily, Ella's small enough to perch on the end.

"You mean you want to get your ass handed to you again. Never thought of you as a masochist" Five says, walking into the room. She looks moody and I really hope she doesn't sit near me. She's intimidating and has made no effort to be nice to me. I think he has a lot going on but still, it's not very nice.

"You were lucky" Nine protests. A wicked grin stretches on Five's face.

"You want to prove that now?" she asks sweetly. Nine grins and jumps up.

"Hell yeah!" he says, taking a ready position. Eight rolls his eyes and whispers something in Marina's ear to which she laughs at. Both Three and I look on jealously, though my jealousy is directed towards his feelings for her.

"No fighting in here!" we turn and see Adelina standing in the doorway. She can be scary; I think it's a remainder from her time as a nun.

"Your lucky day Nine. You have time to prepare for humiliation" Five taunts, sitting on the floor whilst Nine flops down on the sofa. He rolls his eyes but doesn't say anything more.

"Marina, I thought we should go through your chest" Adelina says, gesturing through the doorway. Marina's face lights up and she jumps up immediately.

"Sure! See you guys later" she says, leaving with Adelina at once. I'm surprised; it's like she has no idea what's in her chest. Wouldn't Adelina have gone through it her before? Eight grins as Five hops up onto the sofa next to him.

"Haven't looked in my chest for a while" she muses, using telekinesis to bring an apple to her. I wish I had a legacy, just one, to use in battle. For now, i'm no use at all.

"Neither. Sandor will probably force me tomorrow. He's so demanding at times; I need a break" Nine says, a frustrated look on his face. I feel annoyance race through me and I can't help myself.

"At least you have your Cepan" I snap. I then turn bright red as he turns to look at me surprised.

"She's right. You get to make up for everything that went wrong before" Three defends me. I can't help but feel warm as he backs me up. I smile timidly at him.

"Oh damn, that was something! Never seen Nine made speechless by a 12 year old" Five laughs, leaning forwards to high-five me. I do it although my face is bright red. Nine grins and leans back.

"Nice, you do have guts after all" he muses. I can't help myself again and cross my arms.

"Just because I don't talk a lot doesn't mean i'm weak" I say. Three laughs next to me and I see Five smirk. Suddenly, I don't feel so pathetic.

"Cute, kid" Nine says, smiling at me. At once I feel better; I didn't want to piss him off.

The others carry on talking but soon I begin to feel light-headed and my stomach feels sick. I feel my palms are sweaty and I panic; what's happening to me? I try and control my breathing but nothing happens. If anything, it gets worse.

I stand up abruptly and see the others look at me concerned. I smile at them and try to take a step forward when my knees buckle and I fall to the floor. Three catches me at once but the others are soon there, helping me lie down on the sofa. Everything goes fuzzy and I can't hear properly. I feel an unbearable pressure on my mind and I close my eyes.

"Two? You all right?" I can't answer and I feel some water poured on my head. I splutter a little bit but it doesn't wake me up at all.

"Like that's going to help Nine!" Five snaps. I hear someone shouting and then someone places a pillow under my head.

"Ok. What's going on?" I recognise Henri's calm voice through my dizziness. Thank god. A Cepan's here to help me. My stomach is heaving and the world is spinning. I feel terrible. The pressure on my mind is crazy and I try to push against it. At first nothing happens and then suddenly, it's like something's released. I feel something push out of me and then I hear a yelp.

"Ow! That hurt!" Three says. I start to feel better at once, now the pressure's eased up. I open my eyes and see Henri grinning at me.

"Looks like someone just gained their first legacy" he says, helping me sit up. It's crazy how I suddenly feel so much better. The others look on shocked as I get up as though nothing has happened. I still feel shaky but above all, I'm thrilled.

I have a new legacy!

"What is it?" Five demands, leaning around Nine who's standing protectively in front of her. As if I'm a threat.

"A shield" Crayton says, sitting nearby. I raise my eyebrows, not knowing the legacy.

"Basically, you can project this shield around as many people as you want and it will protect them against anything. But it can also be used as a weapon, like a battering ram. You did that with Three" Henri elaborates. I nod and then grin.

I concentrate and then watch in shock as a membrane-like shield begins to cover me. I see the others grin and Three looks on jealously; he hasn't got any legacies yet. I wonder if he's impressed by mine. I hope he is.

"Let's see if it works" Nine says, grabbing a piece of fruit. He lobs it at my shield and is deflected off, but the shock makes me lose concentration and the shield drops. I sigh and lean back, exhausted by the effort. Henri takes my hand and smiles at me reassuringly.

"Don't worry; it'll get easier. We'll help you through it" he says. I smile back and then Three comes to sit back down next to me. Nine grins and flops down again on the sofa. Nothing seems to really affect him at all.

"Damn, it's about time someone got that legacy" he mutters. I laugh out of amusement and joy.

I have my first legacy and a useful one at that.

Now, I am a threat.

Xxx

John

Six and I lie on the bed, kissing. The sheets are rumpled around us as we roll around, passion overwhelming us. Her lips are soft but intense against mine and her grip on me is tight, yet her hand running along my bare chest is so soft. This is right, everything about this is right-

"JOHNNY!"

I groan and pull away from Six, her lips puffy and so tempting to kiss. I wish I could ignore Nine and continue being with Six, but I know he won't give up. He's persistent when he wants something.

"What?!" I shout back, Six cuddling closer to me, her hair tickling my chest. Damn, she's not making this easy for me and she knows it.

The door barges open and Nine enters, a smug grin on his face. He rolls his eyes when he sees the state we're in.

"Thought I'd come and join you" he announces, as Six rolls over, pressing her face to the pillow. I groan again and shake my head.

"Can't you annoy someone else?" I beg. He laughs, coming to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I did, Marina and Eight. But they're boring now so I thought I'd move to you" he says, clearly proud of himself.

"Piss off" Six mutters into the pillow. I laugh and reach out, holding her hand. Nine rolls his eyes.

"Seriously though, this sucks for me! All you sickening couples and then there's me! I need to have some time with a friend" he complains, pulling a sad face. I roll my eyes.

"Go make out with Five, she's single" I say, wanting him to go away. To my surprise, he blushes a little.

"I don't want to die" he replies but something tells me he wouldn't actually mind kissing her. I shrug.

"Man, another day, please?" I ask. He grins and settles down more comfortably, clearly ignoring my last request.

"Anyway, you'll never get what my master legacy will be... when it makes an appearance" Nine boasts, a smug grin on his face. I perk up; this is interesting.

"How do you know who you're elder is?" Six asks, rolling over and looking up at Nine. Her hair is tousled and her shirt rumpled. Damn, why can't Nine go?!

"The Cepans were going through it with me downstairs. Mine was Aias!" Nine announces grandly. I just stare at him with my eyebrow raised.

"You guys are no fun" he grumbles, annoyed by our reactions. What did he want, us to jump up and go 'Aias! He was so amazing'. Which i'm not, because I have no idea who this Aias person is except that he was an elder.

"So...?" I say, urging him on. Despite my want to be with Six, this _is_ pretty big stuff.

"He was named 'strong and brave'. That's me! Strong and brave" he brags. Six chucks a pillow at him in annoyance. I just laugh; it's just amusing really, although a bit annoying.

"Funny how intelligence wasn't mentioned" I say, a wicked grin on my face. Nine rolls his eyes and shrugs.

"Who cares? _Anyway_, I'll be able to be physically invulnerable to, like, bullets and all that shit" he says, a grin on his face. I feel myself smile despite myself, stunned and thrilled by this news.

"So basically, you can go into battle and anyone can shoot you and you'll be fine?" Six asks, sitting up, a smile creeping onto her face. I jump in before Nine can say anything.

"So basically we can shoot you as many times we like but you can't die? That would be a great way to get rid of stress" I muse. Six's eyes light up in mischief but Nine just rolls his eyes.

"Really, Johnny? But I'm not immune to everything. Bullets, swords and that stuff- like direct hits. But I can still be killed by poison and stuff. Anything bad that goes into my body can still kill me" he explains. I grin and high-five him.

"So that's your master legacy?" I ask. He shakes his head.

"No, the one I'll gain before that. My master legacy is duplication" he says.

"But Eight has an object in his chest like that" I protests, not sure I see advantage of that one. He shakes his head.

"Yeah but if someone talks to it, the cover's blown. It's like the healing stone; only a fraction of the legacy. With my duplication, I can make my other body talk and act like me. No one will know the difference. I can control it from wherever I am!" he says, excited by the prospect of his new legacy.

"Think of the distractions that can cause..." Six says, a look of wonder on her face.

"But if your duplicate is hurt, does that mean you can be?" I ask, slightly worried. He shakes his head with a grin.

"Nope. I can create as many duplicates as I want and if all of them die, who cares?! I can make more" he says.

"That also means more than one Nine in battle..." Six muses. I know Nine brags a lot but he has every reason to; he's deadly. If there _are _two or more of him in battle, god knows how much damage he'll cause.

"But Sandor says it will take a _long_ time to master, months" Nine says, stretching his arms out. I shrug.

"It's worth it though" I say. He nods and then grins.

"Anyway, I'm sure you'll find yours out soon, Six. The Cepans are trying to piece together all the legacies and figure out who belongs to whom. They only just managed to do mine so it'll take a while to get the others' elder" he says, lying down on the bed.

I shove him with my foot, wanting him to go now that he's spread his news. I want to be with Six and only Six, nobody else.

"Nine" I whine as he doesn't move. He grins wickedly and yawns.

"Man, this is comfortable. Think I might take a nap..." he says, closing his eyes.

"Nine!" Six snaps, trying the scary tactic. It doesn't work.

Suddenly the door bursts open and Five appears with an apologetic smile. She walks over to the bed, Eight trailing her and they both grab Nine by the arms who begins to protest. Marina stands by the door, giggling.

"Sorry, didn't realise he was up here" Eight says with a grin. I laugh as Nine tries to shake off their grip but he can't be trying too hard because it doesn't work. Also, Five might be compelling him to not struggle too hard.

"You can go back to whatever you were doing" Five says, her cheeks pink.

"Hey! I'm not that bad!" Nine says, grinning despite Eight's tight grip on him. He only knows we're all playing around.

Although locking him outside for the night _does_ sound like a good idea.

"Do you know what the worst thing is?" Five says. "If we win this war, we're going to have to be stuck on a ship with Nine for a year. A whole year... in a small room...with Nine" she says, emphasising the problem dramatically.

I groan and falling back against the bed. "Maybe we can leave him behind" I suggest. Six grins next to me.

"It's ok guys. I know an effective silencing technique" she says, probably referring to beating the crap out of Nine. But he, of course, has to change the implication.

"Yeah? Is that what you use on Johnny? Because if it is, go ahead sweetheart, i'm up for it" he asks. My cheeks heat up as the others laugh at us.

"Shut up" I mutter for the millionth time. Nine grins at me.

"You love it really, man" he says.

Despite acting otherwise, I really do.

* * *

**Hehe, you guys must hate me for putting that new twist in with Five and Nine :D **

**Question: Which Garde member are you most like?**

**Hope you enjoyed and please review!**


	44. Chapter 44

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...**

**Hi Guys!**

**Thank you all soooo much for the reviews. There's nothing much I can say but a massive thank you! Please continue with the support!**

**Secondly, I received a couple reviews asking for less mushy romance. I understand that the last chapter was very romantic because it was a fluff chapter but I have changed this one to focus more on friendships between the Garde. Thank you for the advice and I will definitely be working on making my characters more independent now :D don't worry about saying what you think even if you think it's too critical. I like to hear all your opinions.**

**Thirdly, you guys _need_ to check out DarkseidShrike's fanfiction for Lorien Legacies, 'The Fall of Five: United we Stand'. It's sooo good and there are loads of great ideas involved. I know both I and DarkseidShrike would love some more of your support for the story!**

**So read on and enjoy!**

**P.S. Three's POV will come up soon, don't worry :)**

* * *

Henri

I knew Lorien was a powerful planet, I just never realised how much. I had never thought it possible to resurrect dead people but apparently it is. I can't be any gladder to be back with my Garde, with John.

He's different than before. He's more mature and confident in his abilities, as he should be. He's also wiser, realising that sometimes following loyalty isn't always the best choice, even if it's important to you. He's realised now, just how much the Loric gave up so that he could be here, could fight.

I couldn't be prouder.

Despite our deaths being a source of pain, the Garde needed us to die. They needed to grow up more and understand what true monsters the mogs are, how vicious they really are. They needed to experience the burning revenge we Cepans did when we travelled to Earth and then trained our Garde. John may have been unwilling to really fight for Lorien when he first met Sarah, but now I see the fiery passion in him to fight for his planet.

I see it in all of the Garde.

It's strange seeing the other Cepans again. Sandor, who I had believed would be the least dedicated due to his rebellious attitude, has surprised me the most. Nine is deadly and has been clearly training for years; Sandor did an incredible job. Probably better than Nine's real Cepan would have done. It's funny how things work out. Just because Sandor was unofficial, doesn't mean the bond was any weaker than it would be between a formal pairing.

Adelina, who I would have thought would be one of the best Cepans due to her strong spirit, crumbled and left her Garde. I can't help but be disappointed in her and for her Garde. No one should be abandoned like that, especially not a developing Loric. It's fortunate that Marina's legacies weren't ones like element control or Lumen, where they cannot be easily hidden. Also, when things get out of control for those kind of legacies, there are harsh consequences.

The other Cepan have also done a good job. It was good to meet Crayton and see the dedication he had for Ella; he's a strong ally and a fierce fighter. It was nice to see how trained Six had been through Katarina's tutelage and how Katarina did her duty to the end. Christina produced a strong Garde who is as eager for battle as Nine and Reynolds helped his Garde hone his legacies to absolute perfection.

We've done our duty to Lorien and to our Garde.

I stand in the field next to the house, watching the Garde line up for practice. Some are eager, in particular Nine and Six, whilst the others are more subdued. For now they look like teenagers doing sport, but in other circumstances they are warriors. Strong and fierce and deadly.

Maybe even strong enough to bring back Lorien.

"Ok, warm up" Crayton announces, consulting a piece of paper. We made a plan of the gruelling workout for our Garde; they're going to be exhausted by the end of this session.

"Jogging twice around the field, sit-ups, push-ups, squats... go to it!" Sandor shouts. Nine and Six are immediately off, jogging round the field. Nine pulls ahead because of his superspeed but Marina catches up pretty quickly. What is a sprint for the others is a mere jog for those two.

After their jog, I watch with amusement as all the Garde go into sit-ups and then push-ups. They soon drop one by one. Two, Three and Ella are first, followed by Adam and then Marina. I watch with pride as John keeps on going but then he stops as soon as Five does. Eight, Nine and Six keep on going on until Eight grins and stops, not bothering to keep up the competition. Nine and Six continue, determined to beat the other.

"Ok, guys, enough!" Sandor snaps after a couple of minutes. Both Six and Nine sigh in relief and collapse back onto the ground, chests heaving. John grins at me cheekily; sometimes he's still the same as he was when he was younger.

"Right, let's have some fights" I suggest, wanting to see how much John has improved. He told me he'd had some training with Six and experience in fights with mogs, so it'll be interesting to see what he can do. He was certainly impressive in Chicago.

"Yeah" Crayton says, consulting his list to see who's paired with whom. "John and Marina" he calls. Immediately, adrenalin rushes through me even though this isn't my fight. I want my Garde to win. John grins and steps out onto the training patch, facing Marina. She looks as calm as ever but I know she'll be using mind control to suss his move. It'll be interesting to see how he fares against her and vice versa.

John lunges forward for a punch but Marina darts out the way. I analyse their moves and note that he should have gone for a more complex move; she would be less prepared for that. She aims a punch to his stomach but he manages to knock her away. His hands light up with Lumen and he aims them at her eyes, temporarily blinding her. Marina closes her eyes but uses her legacy to locate him. Whilst she adjusts to the light, she uses mind control to dodge him.

It's a pretty even fight until John manages to grab her arm. Her skin sizzles from the heat of his Lumen but she doesn't make a noise and then suddenly he lets go and stands back. He can't move and Marina begins to calmly heal herself. John looks like he wants to struggle but he can't. Mind control at its best.

"You can't do that!" he snaps, strain in his voice. Marina shrugs, finishing off the rest of her burn. John's face fills with anger, infuriated by her control over him, and then everything goes horribly wrong.

Marina suddenly shrieks and falls to the ground her hands pressed to her temples. She writhes on the ground, crying in pain. Adelina rushes over whilst Eight is already there, leaning over her. He says her name desperately, whilst the others crowd round, their faces filled with shock and confusion. My eyes are on John though. He seems transfixed and is staring at Marina calmly as she cringes on the floor. He doesn't even seem bothered by her screams.

Five runs to John and before I can stop her, punches him in the face. She's attempting to break the connection between John and Marina. I'm almost there and catch him as he stumbles over, his eyes moving from Marina. At once, the contact is broken and Marina's cries stop. The others stand around confused, as John gasps and clutches my hand. Marina is gasping and leans wearily against Ella, who is stroking her hair.

"Wh-what happened?" John pants, pulling away from me and staring around confused. Eight jumps up, an enraged look on his face. He's realised that John just gained a new legacy and had no control but is too angry to listen to reason.

"What did you do to her?!" he demands, shoving John's chest. I put out a hand in warning but Eight just bats me away.

"Well?! Come on then! Explain!" Eight demands again, this time grabbing John's arm and dragging him towards him. I try and stop him but I'm pushed back and I sprawl on the ground. I'm barely aware of Sandor helping me up, asking me if i'm ok. I'm too worried about John's new legacy and the lack of control he has over it.

"Guys, calm down-" Nine begins but Eight punches John in the face. Furious, John hits him back and they tackle each other. Six rolls her eyes and lunges forward to grab one of the two guys, Nine joining her.

Suddenly, Eight stops fighting and groans, a look of pain on his face. John has that vacant expression again. Eight continues to thrash on the ground like Marina did and I run to John and shake him.

"Come on! Snap out of it!" I beg him, finding it hard to deal with Eight's cries. Whatever this legacy is, it'll be horrible for the mogs. Marina jumps up and runs to Eight, her face streaked with tears.

"John. Stop it!" she screams, looking at him with fear. The others look the same and I see even Six back off. John breathes harder and I look at him in panic. He needs to stop this legacy!

Suddenly, his eyes roll back in his head and he slumps forward, unconscious. I catch him automatically and then stare at Five shocked, as she lowers her arm. She knocked him unconscious.

"Someone had to" she mutters, turning away back to the house. Sometimes, she reminds me so much of Christina; always the practical one, no matter how unpleasant or horrible it is. Nine walks forward and takes John from me, easily lifting him up, shock still on his face. Six follows quickly as he walks to the house. The rest of us stand around shell-shocked.

"Are you all right?" I ask turning to Marina and Eight. She nods but has tears down her face from pain and shock. Eight looks warily at John whilst Marina just looks scared of him. It makes my heart break to see this wariness between the Garde; they should be united!

"He didn't mean to" I say quietly. Marina nods again but turns back to Eight. They'll need an apology from John before they can forgive him, although that's fair enough to understand.

"I guess no more training today" Crayton says to me. Adelina is hovering nearby, wanting to comfort her Garde but clearly lacking the courage to go forward. Sandor falls into step next to me as we make our way to this house.

"He's got a strong legacy though" Sandor says, trying to cheer me up. I nod and sigh, running a hand through my hair.

"Yeah, the second one in two days. Maybe being together is making the legacies appear quicker" Crayton says thoughtfully. I shrug and look away, not really caring. I'm just worried about John.

I wish Julienne were here. She'd know exactly what to say to make me feel better.

Xxx

John

My head's pounding when I wake up and I groan, rubbing my face with my hand. Why does my head hurt so badly?

"Sleeping beauty awakes" Nine's sarcastic voice states next to me. I open my eyes and find myself lying on a sofa in the lounge, Nine sitting opposite me. He's smirking though I can see concern in his eyes. Henri sits next to him and I can see Six curled up in the corner armchair, her eyes watching me nervously. It makes my heart ache to see her watch me with wariness.

Suddenly, the past events tumble through my mind and I groan again. I had developed a new legacy, one that can make people believe they're in extreme pain. But I'd lost control and had used it to a devastating effect.

"Marina...Eight...I need to apologise to them" I say, trying to get up. Nine pushes me back down.

"Oh no, not yet. They're fine, don't worry. We need to help you first" he says. I shake my head but I know I've lost. I don't fancy my chances against Nine if I try to fight against his wishes.

"Ok, so it's obvious you've got a new legacy" Henri says, leaning towards me. He looks proud but I can see concern in his eyes. Probably hoping I'm ok. I nod and sigh.

"Yeah, but I can't control it" I say, looking down. Henri takes my hand.

"It'll take practice and we need...well, we need a willing assistant" he says sighing and then looking hopefully at Nine. He looks back at Henri and then jumps up, shaking his head.

"Oh hell no! You are not testing that on me!" he exclaims. I can't help but laugh at his expression of horror.

"Why don't we take turns?" I turn and see Five standing in the doorway, Adam behind her. I shake my head.

"I don't want to hurt you guys" I say. Not after seeing Marina and Eight's reactions. Five rolls her eyes and strolls forward.

"Look, it will help you practice so deal with it. Also, it will increase our pain threshold which would be useful" she says. I sigh but nod, resigned. She sits down next to me and smiles at me.

"Seriously don't worry. I volunteered... if I hadn't and you still did it, then I'd be pissed off _but I offered_. So go ahead" she says. Six looks on interested whilst Nine's eyes are focused intently on Five. I close my eyes and sigh.

I imagine my legacy reaching out and touching her mind. It's like an invisible laser strike that hits minds. In reality, she's not being harmed at all but her mind thinks she is. I strike at her mind with my legacy and I feel her tense next to me. It's like sending invisible lasers at her mind; it's pretty easy to be honest. I keep up the attack for about a minute and then stop. I don't want to do anymore.

I open my eyes and look at Five immediately. She's pale and her face is shiny with sweat but she didn't make a noise. She smiles at me tiredly and nods.

"Yep, he did a good job" she says, shakily standing up. I see Adam back off a bit but Nine smiles grimly and sits down next to me. Probably doesn't want to look like a coward, now that Five's done it.

"My turn" he says. I try to protest but he shakes his head. "You let Five do it, so now it's my turn" he says. I sigh and close my eyes.

Once again, I strike my legacy at him and I hear him swear once. I tense but continue the attack, throwing strike after strike at his mind. It's actually very easy to lose control over. In a fight against mogs that's not a problem, but in training? I need to tame it.

I stop the attack and see Nine's fists clenched tightly and his jaw locked. He relaxes as soon as the pain stops and then smiles at me. How is he still cheerful after that?

"Good luck mogs" he says, leaning back into the sofa, also looking tired. Five has curled up opposite us and has her eyes half-closed, probably about to fall asleep.

"Sorry" I whisper. Nine ruffles my hair with an annoying smirk and I automatically knock him away.

"Don't worry. Like Five said, we volunteered" he reassures me. Henri's been watching the entire time and sits back, more relaxed.

"You're doing well. Soon, you'll be able to project it at more than one person" he says. I raise my eyebrows in shock. Now that will be deadly for the mogs.

"Good torture technique" Nine muses, staring off into the distance. Six rolls her eyes and chucks a pillow at Nine. She avoids my gaze the entire time, making my heart fall. Why is she angry with me?

I stand up and Nine looks up confused. "Do you know where Marina and Eight are?" I ask. His face clears in understanding and he nods.

"Eight's in the kitchen and Marina's training" he says. I nod and go outside, deciding to brave Marina first.

When I get outside, Marina and Crayton are here, he shouting orders whilst she trains. I admire her dedication to train, despite what happened this morning. Two and Three are nearby, also training but nowhere near with the energy Marina has. She's throwing herself into training, full-heartedly.

"Hey Marina, can I talk to you?" I ask nervously. She looks up from doing her push-ups and jumps to her feet, nodding.

"Sure. Want to take a jog?" she asks, gesturing down the small path that loops round the small village. I nod, since I'm already in jogging clothes, and we set off, going at a steady pace for humans. It barely makes us sweat but it's still a form of exercise.

"I'm so sorry... about earlier" I say, looking down at the path. Marina smiles, not out of breath at all. The advantage of superspeed as a legacy means that this is like a slow amble for her.

"Don't worry, you got a new legacy! That's amazing news by the way" she says. I nod and try to even out my breathing a little.

"Thanks, but it will take a while to control it" I say, jumping over a stray rock on the path. Marina nods, pulling slightly ahead of me.

"So does every legacy. But we have time" she reassures me, slowing down. I slow to a stop, looking out over the fields and into the distance. We've run a lot faster than we meant to and have covered a good distance. Marina stops too and jogs back to me, seeing if i'm all right.

"John?" she asks, touching my arm kindly. I muster a smile.

"Do we have time though? I mean the mogs are becoming more and more dangerous every day! We can't compete!" I exclaim. I've never been able to express these worries with anyone . I feel like now that i'm Pittacus, I should be calm and in control around everyone but with Marina, she has this calming presence that makes you feel as though you won't be judged. I choose to open up to her.

"Of course we have time. Look at how far we've come in the past months. I know that I can fight much better than before and I'm still the weakest. You are amazing John! You can't think like this" she comforts me. I smile, a genuine one this time.

"How come you're so positive?" I ask, as we begin to walk back down the path slowly. Sometimes it's nice to have a chat with a friend and not with your girlfriend. It just makes a difference.

"Because I have to be. The last thing we need right now is for any of us to give up" she says. I nod and smile, already feeling more confident.

"Are you compelling me to stop panicking?" I ask accusingly. Marina laughs and looks away, confirming her guilt. I ruffle her hair and she mock-glares, batting my hand away.

"What is it with people and ruffling my hair?" she mutters, trying to straighten it out. I grin and roll my eyes.

"Where's Eight? You're usually with him" I change the topic, noticing he's not with her. This time, she rolls her eyes.

"I can't spend every single minute with him" she says. I look at her sideways.

"You used to" I say. It's true; they were practically inseparable.

"I know and I want to be more independent. I feel like I've spent every second with him when I should be focused on the war more. I need to get that perfect balance" she says. I nod, seeing her sense.

"Race you back?" I challenge, knowing I'll lose. Marina grins and rubs her hands together.

"Oooh, you're on" she replies. We race off to the house, Marina sprinting down the path so quickly she's a blur. I haven't got a hope in hell of winning but I still run as fast as I can, admiring the view of the surrounding area as I run.

When I reach the house, Marina is standing there with her arms crossed, not looking at all like she just sprinted. I pull to a stop in front of her, putting my hands on my knees as I get my breath back.

"Beat you!" she says smugly.

"You... have...superspeed" I pant. Marina laughs as she heads back over to Crayton.

"Then don't challenge me next time!" she says. I grab her arm before she goes and smile gratefully at her.

"Thanks for the talk... it really helped" I say. She laughs and shrugs.

"Anytime, John" she says sweetly. I let her go and she heads off, ready to train some more.

Now I have to apologise to Eight.

I enter the house and roll my eyes when I see him and Nine on the sofas, glaring at each other. I flop down on another, noticing Six and Five's absence.

"Where did the others go?" I ask. Nine doesn't break eye contact but he still answers me.

"Went to get ready to train with Marina" he replies. I sigh and look at my friends, though right now I'm not sure why I still call them that. They can be idiots at times.

"Ok, what's going on?" I ask. Eight smiles but like Nine, doesn't look at me.

"We're about to play this video game Nine's raving about but he thinks he can freak me out before we play it" Eight says. It seems like he's completely forgotten about the whole legacy incident.

"It will work... trust me" Nine threatens. Both Eight and I roll out eyes and Nine cheers.

"Ha, you broke eye contact. You're already cracking" he announces. Eight laughs and shakes his head.

"You wish...prepare to die Nine" he says dramatically. I raise my eyebrow as they take position with their game controls, the timer on the TV screen counting down.

They game starts and they're off at once, turning into complete video game players. They glare and snarl at the screen from time to time as the other gets the better of them. They jerk around as though moving their whole body is going to affect the outcome on the screen. It's sort of fascinating to watch.

"So, um, Eight, I'm sorry about earlier" I say. Eight doesn't even flicker his eyes towards me and grunts as a response. Nine looks as though he's in his own world.

"I really didn't mean to hurt you or Marina"

Grunt.

"I just lost control and I really regret it"

Another grunt.

"So, do you forgive me?" I ask. In reply I get another grunt which I take as a yes. Hm, this could be fun.

"By the way, I'm wearing your favourite shirt at the moment... you know the one you refuse to let anyone else wear?" If you're wondering why it's his favourite, it's because Marina bought it for him.

Absolutely no response.

"I also just made out with Marina. She's a good kisser, isn't she? You'd never guess that because she's so shy, but hey, I see why you like her"

Not even a twitch. He's still entirely focused on the screen and on beating Nine.

"And yeah, I admit it... I ate your last pancake this morning"

The response is immediate. His eyes fly over to me and he stops playing the game.

"It was you?!" he asks. Just then Nine whoops and Eight turns back to the screen, groaning in annoyance. I guess he just lost.

"Not only did you eat my food, you made me lose too!" Eight exclaims, falling back onto the sofa with a groan. I grin and shrug.

"It's a good thing you didn't hear the other things I say" I call as I leave the room. Just as I shut the door, I hear Nine talking to Eight.

"Isn't he wearing your favourite shirt?"

Xxx

Adam

"Ok, guys. _Guys_. Calm down!" I hear Henri try and get some order but it's not really working. Nine and Five are arguing (strangely I was starting to miss it; they've been on good terms recently) whilst the rest of us are all talking.

"SHUT UP!" we all stop in shock and stare at Crayton as he sits back down again. Ella, who's sitting next to him, giggles and takes his hand. Each of the Cepans have a different role: Henri is like the leader, Sandor is the technical guy, Crayton is the one in charge of training and weapons and Adelina, well, i'm not too sure what she does.

"Right, thanks. Anyway, we need to decide our next move" Henri says, now the whole place is quiet. Six looks up.

"I need my chest" she says at once. She's right; it's time for her to get her inheritance back after all these years. I see most of the others nod in agreement but Adelina isn't one of them.

"If it's been broken into, then how can we know it's safe? You've survived all these years without it, do you honestly need it now?" she says. I can sort of see her point but it's still wrong. The rest of us open our mouths to protest but Marina beats us to the punch.

"Of course she does. As someone who didn't get a look into their chest until a couple of months ago, I'm completely with Six" she says, giving Adelina a pointed look. That shuts her up.

"And we can blow up a base. We haven't done that in a while" Nine muses, twirling a knife in his hand. I roll my eyes and see Five do the same. We share a grin in amusement.

"Ok, where will the chest be?" Three asks. He's more confident now, which is nice. He's not useless and needs more belief in himself.

"West Virginia" Five said. John turns to her.

"How can you be sure? I've been there and I didn't see a chest" he says. Five nods.

"You wouldn't have because you were in the wrong place" she says. The rest of us look at her confused. She sighs and crosses her arms.

"Three years ago, when I was 13, I was captured and taken to West Virginia. I stayed there two months until I got invisibility. I didn't destroy the place because I knew I wasn't strong enough and some of the stuff was too interesting" she says.

"Basically, I crept around the headquarters area and I saw a chest with a macrocosm on display. They had your chest, Six, and managed to get it open. Was there ever a time when both you and Katarina were unconscious during your capture?" she asks. Six pauses and then nods.

"When we were caught, they had to knock us both out" she says slowly. I see John try to take her hand but she pushes him away. He frowns in frustration.

"So they would have opened the chest the normal way then, when both of you couldn't fight against the mogs. They already had it and brought it with them when they got you guys. I turn up a couple of months later and it's there" Five finishes.

Henri nods. "West Virginia it is then. We leave tomorrow, first light" he announces. There are a couple of groans as we all get up to go, the meeting officially over. Five joins me and smiles.

"Want a walk?" she asks. I shrug and grab my coat on the way out.

It's dark and cold outside but I know i'm safe enough with Five. A little drizzle falls from the sky and we both pull our hoods up. Five light up a small fire in her hand to use as a torch. It's pretty special to watch; a fire floating just above her hand and creating dancing shadows.

"Road trip tomorrow. You excited?" I ask, unsure of how to start. Five suddenly stops and turns to me. We're quite a distance from the house so she must be sure we won't be heard. I was pretty sure she took me for a walk to talk about something personal.

"Adam, I don't know what to do" she says sadly. I look at her confused.

"About what?" I ask concerned. She looks so sad and lonely.

"About Nine" she replies. The fire casting shadows on her face makes her look even more upset.

"What about him?" I ask, slightly frustrated. She's not really giving me much information. She sighs.

"He says he won't push it anymore with me, that he's given up on my feelings for him" she says. I'm still confused.

"Aren't you happy about that?" I ask. She shakes her head.

"I was going to tell him _I _was wrong, not him. That we should be together" she says.

Oh dear. So now Nine's given up when Five was ready to go out with him. God, these two need to talk and sort out this communication problem. It's getting on my nerves.

"I love him but I don't think he wants to be with me anymore. I don't even know if he loves me. He...he said that he didn't really love me anyway... it was just a phase" she says, starting to cry. The fire in her hands goes out and I pull her to me in a hug. She sobs into my shoulder and I stroke her hair.

Of course Nine loves her but Five just doesn't see that. It's stupid really, this whole situation could be sorted out so quickly but instead it's dragging on because they're both so proud. Can't they see that they both love each other, despite what they say?

Love _sucks._

* * *

**If you're wondering, I stole John's new legacy from Twilight; I thought it was quite a good legacy to have. It's definitely not his last.**

**Question: Which Garde would you miss the least if one was to die? (Don't worry, this isn't a survey for my story. Just a general, slightly morbid question)**

**So hope you enjoyed the chapter, with less muss and more friendships. Action starts soon! **

**Please review!**


	45. Chapter 45

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...

Hi Guys!

Thank you all soooo much for the reviews! They are so supportive and so kind and you guys are so awesome! Please continue with the support because it's so encouraging! :D

Shout out to Liya Albert who helped me with an aspect of this chapter :) this chapter's dedicated to you!

**Answers to reviews**:

**Guest (first one):** The first Legacy developed was Two. She gained a shield in chapter 43 :)

**Sam:** Don't worry, no one is getting pregnant in this story. They have enough on their plate and I haven't made my characters sleep together yet so it's definitely not an issue :)

**readingnerd18:** Yeah it's Jane's legacy but I adapted it a little to make it more powerful :)

**Polly:** Unfortunately, Marina's had her last legacy with mind control (which can be pretty lethal anyway). But I'm about to make her go through some more character development soon and she won't need a defenisve legacy; she'll be pretty badass! :)

Also, I've received a lot of permission to kill Adelina. Interesting...

Read on and enjoy!

* * *

Eight

I really _hate _road trips.

It's the time when Nine gets bored and decides to annoy everyone. And no one can get him to stop.

I swear, the guy is like a kid at times.

We had to split up into even groups, which meant us Garde had to separate. Marina's in the other car with John, Two, Five, Adam, Adelina, Ella and Crayton. This massive group thing is getting confusing.

"Make him stop" Six groans in front of me, her head tipping back onto the headrest. I grin and next to me, Sandor smirks.

"I had to live with him for 11 years. You can deal with one car journey" he argues.

"I'm right here!" Nine protests. I sigh dramatically.

"We wish you weren't" I say. Six laughs up front and Nine frowns.

"You're just sad that Marina's not here. Are you suffering much?" he says, pulling a mock sad face. I want to hit him. He has been teasing me about Marina for the past hour. It's old news now, I don't get why he's fascinated with it. Maybe he's jealous he doesn't have a girlfriend.

"Nine, concentrate on driving" Henri instructs, saving me from any more thoughts of attacking him. I lean back and close my eyes, wanting some peace.

Things have been weird for us lately. We haven't been attacked at all which is putting us all on edge; it's been too silent and that's making us nervous. We're expecting something soon, but what, we're not sure.

It's also weird having the Cepans around. I miss Reynolds but it's nice to meet some other Cepans, even if they're not like him. It's nice to be able to talk about Reynolds with people who knew him. Also, we need all the help we can get now. I've noticed that despite our new-found maturity and leadership, we still need our Cepans. They're still vital for us to win.

The car starts to pull over and I sit up, seeing us approach a coffee shop. Nine sees my smile and laughs.

"Ah, look at that! Can't wait to see his _girlfriend_" he says, drawing out the last word. I can't help myself. I lean forward and whack him on the back of the head as we park the car.

"Hey!" he exclaims, rubbing his head. I grin and Six laughs.

"You deserve it" she says. They begin to argue and I quickly escape the car, needing some peace.

I jump out and see the others have already parked and have coffee. I hear Nine and Six get out, still arguing, as I walk over to the other car. Marina sees me and smiles, holding a spare coffee. She must have bought me one and I smile at her generosity.

I reach them and take the coffee from her, wrapping my other arm around her waist, already much happier. Ella, who is clearly high in caffeine, is singing along to the song playing in the car whilst the others laugh at her impression. She cannot sing at all.

"What do I have to do to get one of you guys to swap with me?" I ask, looking round. Ella stops her singing, thank god, and smiles at me.

"Let me guess, Nine pissed you off" Five says. I nod and Marina laughs, kissing my cheek.

"You'll be fine" she says. I sigh and look at her with puppy dog eyes.

"That's easy for you to say! You've had it easy!" I complain. By this point the others have caught up and Nine leans on the hood next to John, probably about to start on him.

"You think? Ella and John have been singing along with the radio the _entire_ journey" Adam says. Marina laughs, her eyes shining. I can't help but feel better around her and I laugh too.

"Five joined in too" she adds.

"Since when does Five sing?" Six asks. Right then, Five decides that she needs to start up to prove a point and begins to sing that awful song. Nine looks on amused as Five curtsies, deciding she can't continue anymore.

My ears can't continue anymore.

"Thank you all! I hope you enjoyed it!" she says dramatically. Marina giggles next to me and I can't hide the grin on my face.

"Time of my life" Sandor says dryly, taking a sip of his coffee. Five rolls her eyes and shoves him playfully.

"Cheer up" she mutters teasingly and I see him smile fondly at her. Wow, she must have given him a good impression; the only person he really is close to is Nine.

"Right, we've got what we need. You ready to hit the road?" Henri asks, folding up his map. He didn't even get coffee; he only wanted to look at a map. I sigh, resigned, and take one last look around.

"Anyone willing to swap?" I beg. Everyone in Marina's car looks away and I sigh again, accepting my sentence. Marina's lips twitch; I think she's reading my mind.

"You won't have to sit with him tomorrow, I promise" she says to me, smiling kindly. I grin and kiss her quickly before Nine drags me away.

"See you later" I say sadly. John waves to us and grins.

"Good luck" he shouts and I nod forlornly, turning back to our car. I get in the front since Six stole my safe seat and Nine starts the car again. He's grinning and raises his eyebrows at me.

"I'm not that bad" he says, directing the car so that it's following the others. I nod, keeping my eyes on the road.

"You can be when you want to" I reply. He grins and drums his fingers on the wheel, the caffeine hyping him up. Just what we need.

However, he's pretty good and keeps his mouth shut for the journey and soon I begin to cheer up more. I like the quiet; I like to daydream, a result of doing it a lot when I was in India. However, after a while, I look out onto the road, looking out for signs of any attacks. We still have to be careful, no matter what.

I'm daydreaming again when Nine suddenly swears and I jump, watching the road in horror. The others look up from behind and I hear someone cry out in dismay.

I can only watch.

We're driving next to a steep slope and our other car in front is quite far away from the edge. Not that it matters.

An armoured truck coming from the other direction, swerves and slams into the others' car, making it swerve to the right. Whoever's driving does a good job of keeping the car on the road but another truck appears behind the first and slams into the car again. This time, it's too much and the car tumbles over the edge.

No one even thinks to use telekinesis.

The car rolls down the hillside, gathering speed until I see it crash at the bottom amongst a group of trees. My breath has stopped in horror and chills race through me as I wait for scars. Marina's in there. Nine slams the brakes and the car shudders to a stop. I leap out, running to the edge of the road. Six and Nine are next to me and one by one the others join. We can't stop looking.

"Marina's down there" I whisper, my throat dry. I see Nine look back at the trucks and swear as gunmen pour out.

"We need to fight them! We'll get to the others later" Six says grabbing my hand. We haven't had any scars so we need to remain hopeful. I see some of the others, Sam, Malcolm and Three, run down the hill towards the car. Hope fills me. I bet they'll have a healing stone.

I turn back to the men and grab a gun from Sandor.

If anyone's hurt, these men will wish they were never born.

Xxx

Ella

My head pounds in pain and I feel blood run down my face. I move my face slightly and feel it get cut on glass. I hear a couple of groans and smell burning metal and blood. I just want to lie back down and fall asleep but I can't. I need to get out.

The car is completely ruined, twisted up and unrecognisable. I see Five nearby but she's out of it, blood rapidly pouring down her head. She needs help and fast.

I try to move but feel a spasm of pain in my arm. I think it's broken slightly. I moan and try to wriggle out of my seatbelt which takes a while, but is manageable because of my size. I see some of the others moving: Adam, Adelina and Two. John and Marina are behind me; both of them stuck under the chests and distorted metal. Fear and worry pounds through me, making me feel sick.

The piece of metal above me groans and then begins to move. I look up in shock and see some hands pulling it away, creating a place for me to escape. Crayton's face appears once the thing is removed and he smiles down at me. He got out.

Relief fills my heart that he's still alive. I couldn't live if he died again. He reaches down and carefully pulls me out of the car, chips of glass falling off me. I see Three, Sam and Malcolm run down to meet us. Three is clutching a healing stone and passes it to Crayton as once, who then presses it on my forehead. The pain is terrible at first but soon gets better.

"We need to help the others" I gasp out. Crayton nods and sets me down after a quick hug, relieved I'm ok. I smile at him and then look at the car. It's a mess and will be impossible to fix. I see Adelina crawl out of a window, soon followed by Two. Three grins and runs to them, handing them the healing stone.

"Marina's in there!" I tell Crayton and he nods, frowning at the destruction. I don't know how to get the others out unless we pull the car apart. But we could hurt one of the others by doing that.

"I saw Five in there. I think I can get her out of it" I say. Crayton sighs but nods again slowly. He helps me get back into the wreckage through the hole and I go to Five at once, who was sitting next to me in the chair when it crashed. Glass from the window has cut her head which is what's making it look so bad. I gently shake her.

"Five. Five. Wake up" I whisper. She moans slightly but doesn't move. I frown and assess the situation. I can't see her stuck anywhere, just the seatbelt has got her caught in the car. I reach under her and try to unbuckle her but it doesn't work. I crawl back to the hole.

"I need a knife" I tell Crayton. He nods and passes me one, a look of worry on his face. I go back to Five and cut the seatbelt off from her. Gradually, I can move her and I begin to drag her from the mangled ruins. She moans again and her blood starts to soak into my shirt but I'm getting her out. That's what counts.

I reach the hole and Crayton reaches down pulling Five out. I can hear the others talk as they mill around Five, hopefully healing her. Crayton reaches down for me but I shake my head.

"I have to get John and Marina and Adam" I say.

"Adam's already here" Crayton says but he agrees all the same. Both John and Marina are our only healers; we need them in the fight against the mogs.

I crawl back into the main part of the car but head to the back, where they were sitting in the car. They didn't have seatbelts so they had no protection. I shudder to think of how much they would have been thrown around. Some of the metal has been pushed in and I see John stuck a bit. I go to him but he's unconscious. I try not to cry with hopelessness. He's completely stuck with his legs under the mangled ruins of a chair.

"Ella?" I turn and see Marina lift her head. She's covered in blood but is moving very slightly, pain registering on her face.

"Marina!" I cry out, crawling to her. She's got her arm caught under another seat but I quickly pull it free, trying to ignore her winces. I drag her away and to the hole, about to pass her to Crayton when she pulls back.

"We need to help John" she whispers, pale from blood loss. I want to help her get out but she's already going back to him. I sigh and follow her.

"I'll lift the seat and then you pull his leg out" I instruct her. She nods and I use all my strength to push against the bottom of the seat. I begin to sweat and panic, thinking I can't do it when it's ripped out of the car. I look up and see Three crouching in the car, a smile on his face. I was so absorbed I never saw him come in. He grabs Marina and before she can protest, lifts her out the car.

"Thanks" I mutter as he joins me in dragging John out. He nods and soon we've managed to get John to Crayton, who pulls him out. I sit back in the wreck and smile in relief.

"You did a good job" Three says smiling at me kindly. I grin, just relieved we're all ok.

"You too" I reply. He grabs me and lifts me out and i'm too surprised to do anything. Crayton takes me and then sets me on the ground, hugging me. Marina's ok; healed by the stone and I see John begin to wake up.

"Thank you Ella" Marina says, coming to hug me. I smile and cling to her, glad she's ok.

"We're a team. Team members don't give up on each other" I say. She smiles and we pinky promise, just like we did at the orphanage. It's our form of comfort, reminding ourselves that we always have each other.

I can't hear gunfire anymore and I wonder if the others are done now. I look up the hill to the road but can't see anything, just smoke and ash.

"John!" I look up and see Six run to us, her eyes focused on John whose still being healed. She falls to her knees next to him and takes his hand. He's already awake and they smile at each other goofily. Looks like they made up quickly.

Eight teleports next to me and hugs Marina in relief. He pulls back and then hugs me, bending down a bit so he can reach my height.

"Thank you" he whispers in my ear. He must have realised I helped pull Marina from the car and he smiles at me in pride.

"Everyone ok?" I pull away to see Sandor dusting ash off his suit, a smirk on his lips. Nine stands nearby his concerned eyes on Five who is trying to pretend she hasn't noticed him. I concentrate and try to communicate to her.

_You're being very obvious_ I say to her. Her eyes snap to me and she blushes, scowling a bit. Next to me, Marina grins in amusement, reading everything between us. Only she and I know what's going on between Five and Nine. I think Sandor has an idea but I'm not sure.

_No i'm not! I don't have any feelings for him! None!_ She replies back almost immediately. I try not to smirk and pretend to be interested in the others' planning.

_Who said anything about feelings? _I ask. She shifts and glares at me. I smother a laugh, enjoying winding her up.

_Why are you so annoying? _She grumbles and then I focus back on the conversation.

"- and then there's a town nearby, half an hour tops, that we can get a car to. We can catch a train after that; it's quicker and easier for all us to get on" Henri finishes. I look up at Marina confused.

"What are we doing?" I whisper as we begin to walk off into the trees. She raises her eyebrow.

"If you hadn't been winding Five up, you might have known" she teases me and I smile back innocently. "We're going to a town about half an hour away"

I nod and take her hand. Seeing her like that in the car has made me remember that our existence is still very fragile and any of us can die any day. She smiles down at me and squeezes my hand, pleased that she's still my best friend. I think she was getting slightly jealous of my close relationship with Five which developed after Russia.

"Come on guys!" I look up and see Six glaring at us as we're the last two. Marina grins sweetly back and Six huffs turning around. What's wrong with her? She was happy a minute ago but now she's annoyed again. Marina laughs next to me and then Eight teleports over.

"You better hurry. Six is pissed off enough as it is" he says to us, grinning. I nod and we begin to set off, sometimes tripping up on the rocks that litter the path.

"What's wrong with her?" Marina asks, taking his hand in her other one. He shrugs.

"Nine said something stupid but I don't think that's the main reason. But I _do_ know that she can get scary and I don't want to have to do the whole defence thing if she attacks" he teases. Marina laughs and then flutters her eyelashes at him.

"You wouldn't? Not even for me?" She says sweetly. I laugh as Eight swallows.

"Course he would, he wouldn't even hesitate" I reply and Eight blushes, teleporting away to join Nine. Marina laughs nest to me and we grin at each other.

"Oh Ella, you used to be so sweet. Now you're turning evil" she teases and I giggle as she pokes me in the side.

"I'm still the same really" I protest.

And it's true. No matter what the mogs do to us, they'll never change me.

Xxx

Six

I'm in a really bad mood.

I'm marching behind everyone, my fists clenched and a harsh glare on my face. John's walking next to me and he glances at me every so often but he doesn't say anything. He's probably wondering what's wrong with me.

"Six, what's going on?" he eventually asks after five more minutes of tense silence. Ha, I knew it. I huff and look away, not wanting to answer him. He reaches out to take my hand but I jerk it away. I'm tired because I haven't slept well in ages and it's putting me in a bad mood. I'm acting irrational and I know it.

"Nothing" I reply. He sighs and shakes his head, looking away.

"Come on. I know you too well. What's wrong?" he persists. I sigh and look away, a frown on my face.

"Well, I had a dream" I finally admit. I haven't talked to anyone about my dreams recently and they've been bothering me loads. John reaches out to take my hand again but this time I let him. He smiles and squeezes my hand.

"And?" he says gently. I sigh and look into his eyes.

"It was about Katarina... before she was killed" I say, a lump in my throat. He looks at me sadly and squeezes my hand again. It's hard for me to miss my Cepan when there are others around; it's a constant reminder of the pain.

"I just... I just miss her, that's all" I finish, unable to continue. I don't have to say more though. He understands this is hard for me considering that the other Cepans are here and mine isn't. It sucks.

"I can't imagine how unbearable you must be feeling" he murmurs, pulling me closer and wrapping an arm around my shoulders. I lean into his warmth as we continue to pick our way through the woods. We'll be approaching a town soon where we can catch a train to West Virginia. We'll grab a house and then prepare for an attack on the base.

"It's just so hard, seeing you and Henri... the reason I've been avoiding you is because I'm jealous of you. I don't want to be jealous of you simply because you have someone there for you" I say. John frowns

"You still have me though" he says. I smile sadly and nod, still upset and hurt. It will always be there. He smiles and then leans down kissing me quickly before we continue to walk again. I blush, always affected by him.

"Hey guys" I turn and see Sam join us, a smile on his face. I grin as he falls into step, his presence making me happier. Just like old times, it's the three of us. I'd missed this so much.

"All this walking is getting me down. Anyone gonna give me a piggy back?" Sam asks, grinning cheekily at me. I laugh and shove him.

"Man up! It's only half an hour" I reply. John grins and nods.

"And you don't have to carry a chest" he adds. I smirk and Sam sighs dramatically.

"So cruel to me, after all I've done" he says sadly. I laugh again and shake my head.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself, _Eagle Goode_" John says. Sam laughs and his face lights up.

"You remember that conversation?"I ask. They both nod and I see John grinning away.

"Of course, _Maren Elizabeth" _Sam replies. I sigh and roll my eyes.

"Seriously though, Maren Elizabeth? There are so many better names out there" John says laughing next to me.

"What are you guys talking about?" Five asks, coming to join us. I see Marina and Ella talking to Adam in front of us, whilst Nine and Eight are way ahead.

"Names that we had on Earth" I reply. Five grins.

"Nine told me he was called Stanley" she says. I laugh and raise my eyebrows.

"I would have thought he go for something really manly" I say.

"What, like Emmet?" she says, both of us dissolving into giggles. It's nice to have a good chat with a friend every now and then.

"Ok, worst name you were ever called" I announce. By now, Marina and Ella have joined us; Adam went off to join Nine and Eight. I grin at Marina and she smiles back.

"Probably Veronica for me" I say, getting the ball rolling. Ella grimaces at the name and I can't help but laugh at her expression.

"Yeah, I don't like that name" Five agrees, looking thoughtful. "I was called Ruth by my Cepan once... she thought it would be funny"

Marina laughs and shakes her head at the name; Five is definitely not a Ruth. John grins at me and squeezes my hand, happy by this turn of events. One minute we're fighting for our lives, the next we're joking about names.

"I was called Donald once" John says. My eyes widen in horror and Five and Marina burst out laughing, making jokes about Donald Duck in Disney. Ella giggles next to them, making quacking noises. Only she could make it sound cute.

"Oh my god, why?" I ask him. He laughs and shakes his head.

"Nine chose it for me, I hated it" he says. I roll my eyes at Nine's choice of name.

"What about you Marina?" Sam asks. She frowns, thinking to herself and then grins.

"Heidi, probably" she says. I raise my eyebrow.

"That's quite a nice name" I say. She shrugs.

"Yeah but when you're trekking over mountains in Switzerland, you start to hear a lot of jokes about the book 'Heidi" she says. I nod, that would be annoying.

"Yeah, it always annoys me when you have a well-known name... like Juliette. Do you know how many jokes are made about Romeo when you're called Juliette" Marina says. I smile at her.

"I guess you were called that at one point" she nods and smiles at me. Marina chose the nicest names out of all of us; her current name just proves that.

"What are you guys talking about?" Nine and Eight have appeared, looking at us curiously. I grin at them.

"Names" I reply.

"Why you thinking of what to call your kid, Six? Just call it Ten... four plus six equals ten" Nine says. I groan and use telekinesis to push him over as John laughs

"_I'm_ Number Ten" Ella says, making us laugh again. We continue walking, Nine still making jokes about John and I having a kid called Ten.

Will he ever grow up?

Xxx

Unknown

I wait and watch the door, tensions running high. Behind me, Agent Roberts paces around, her high heels clicking on the floor. I cross my arms, concentrating entirely on the door and not on the four other terrified agents in the room.

The door bursts open and in walks Derakus Shu, the leader of communications with Earth. He is a terrifying General, around 10 feet tall and albino-pale with chiselled teeth. My heartbeat increases as his black eyes focus on me but I breathe again when it passes onto the others. His entourage of five huge Mogadorian soldiers stare at us menacingly, stroking their cannons.

"Good, you came" Roberts stands up, exuding an air of confidence. Thank god we have her because the rest of us are frozen with fear. I have never dealt directly with the Mogadorians even though I know the whole situation.

Or thought I did anyway.

"We don't have much time to deal with this" Derakus says, a frown on his face. He sits down at the table in the centre, opposite Roberts. I stand up nervously, my legs like jelly as I approach to sit next to Roberts. My role is to simply watch and observe the mogs' behaviour.

The mog leader nods politely at me as I sit down and I plaster a blank mask on my face, nodding back. I settle down as Roberts hands a file over to Derakus. The other mogs are nearby, watching suspiciously.

"What is this?" he asks curiously. Roberts looks at him, her eyes cold as ice.

"We were hoping you could tell us that" she says. The mog leader flicks through the same file that I had done a few days ago. His eyebrows rise in surprise when he sees the pictures.

"These are the Loric. I am surprised you need that clearing up" he says. Roberts glares slightly but covers her annoyance with a nod.

"Loric children that are being tortured..." she flicks through another file "with methods banned by the US government. Not to be used under _any_ circumstance" she finishes, crossing her arms and looking at the mog expectantly.

"Your agents didn't seem to complain at the time" he replies, his eyes showing a dangerous light. I shift nervously but don't say anything.

"My agents follow commands, no matter what they are or no matter what they think. That's their job" Roberts replies. She closes the file and places her hands on the top, leaning forwards slightly as though to interrogate the mog. Which in a sense she is doing.

"US citizens have also been tortured and _that_ is against the Treaty we drew up. How do you explain this?" she asks, anger in her voice. This is her country and planet; the mogs are disrespecting that.

"They had information we needed to know. The Loric are the enemies and we must catch them. You know this, why are you questioning me?" Derakus asks, his voice low and deadly. Roberts doesn't even waver and I can't help but admire her composure.

"Because we have followed every detail of the contract between our two races. _Your race_, however, has not. We want answers and we want them now" she demands, looking every inch the terrifying agent. To my great surprise and pleasure, some of the mogs behind Derakus shift nervously.

"Rules have to be broken in order for people to succeed" Derakus persuades, his voice as smooth as possible. "This is the only way to-" he continues but the sharp ringing of Roberts phone interrupts him. He frowns in annoyance as she gets up to take the call. There's a brief silence in between her replies to whoever is calling; her voice low and quick.

It's not good news.

With a snap, she shuts her phone and marches over to the table. Her face is white with anger and she places both hands on the table, leaning over the mog. He leans back, shocked and...nervous?

"I've just heard that an entourage of cars was attacked and destroyed by mogs, without our permission! What is going on?!" she demands, her voice raising in anger.

Derakus shrugs lazily with the confidence of a man (or mog in his case) who knows he has more power.

"We had reason to believe the Loric were in the car. When they attacked us, we simply fought back" he says, a smug smile on his face. Roberts slams her fist down on the table.

"This is not a joke! You have to ask our permission before attacking places with civilians! This is the grounds of our Treaty and you are breaking it!" she shouts, her composure finally broken. Derakus stands up as well, towering over her. I join Roberts, putting, on a united front, with my hand lightly on my gun at my belt.

"We will do what we want and when we want! We are the Mogadorians and Setrakus Ra is our leader! You are nothing! The Government is nothing! You better learn to obey your superiors Agent Roberts otherwise you will get a nasty shock when-" Derakus stops his rant and closes his face off, turning impassive once more. He's revealed too much.

"This is over. Until next time, Agent Roberts" he says coldly, turning on his heel and sweeping out of the room. His entourage follows at once, leaving Roberts and I standing alone in the middle of the room. I can hear a small murmur from other agents behind us but I ignore them.

Roberts turns to me, fear in her eyes. "They mean to destroy humanity and take over Earth" she says, her voice shaky.

"They wouldn't!" I say, purely out of shock at what just happened. She shakes her head as we slowly leave the room, the other agents following us but giving us enough space to talk privately.

"They will, I know they will. Mogadore is going to die soon, they told us that. We always assumed they'd go and live on Lorien once all the Loric were dead but now..." she trails off, a million miles away.

"What do we do now?" I ask. She sighs and then looks at me, our eyes making contact.

"We need stronger allies" she says, thinking through all the possibilities. I nod and voice the idea we're both thinking of.

"We need the Loric"

* * *

**Dun, dun, dun! The Government are starting to get a brain! Yay!**

**Btw, my best friend is called Juliette; you would not believe how many jokes she gets about her name which is why I put it in here. **

**Question: Which of the Garde had the worst upbringing in your opinion? Why?**

**Please review!**


	46. Chapter 46

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies.**

**Hi guys!**

**Thank you all sooooo much for the huge amount of reviews you're giving me! I really love every single one and I appreciate every bit of support you give me! Thank you!**

**Secondly, sorry for the later updates, especially today's one. I have my German exchange round for a week which means very little time for writing. I hope the chapters are good enough to make up for that.**

**So, read on and enjoy!**

* * *

Marina

The train speeds along the tracks, the countryside outside blurring from the speed. I feel nervous and shaken up after the car accident even though i'm ok now. How did the government find us?

I shift and sigh in my seat, ignoring Adelina's inquisitive look. I'm not really in the mood to talk; too occupied by my thoughts to think about much else. There's this pit in my stomach and I know what it is; I immediately recognise it. I'm scared, though I have no idea why. Everyone's fine and happy. There's nothing to be scared of.

Yet why do I still feel like something terrible is going to happen?

I've had this feeling before. It was the same emotion as when I was in the convent, when the mogs first came to Santa Teresa. We're in trouble but I don't know when the threat will come and how, only that it will.

"Adelina?" I ask tentatively, looking at her. She turns to me, a small smile on her face.

"Yes Marina" she replies. I sigh again and knot my hands together.

"I think something's going to happen... I think we're in danger" I tell her, keeping my voice low. I don't want to be seen as paranoid or weak by Nine or Six. She sighs and shakes her head.

"Oh Marina, not this again. Nothing's going to happen" she says patronisingly. I flush at once but keep my ground. I _know_ I'm right!

"I'm telling the truth. Something is going to happen soon" I protest but she shakes her head, an amused smirk on her face. I realise with a sinking in my stomach that she's the same Adelina in the convent, the one who never listened to me.

"I understand that you're wound up from the accident but-" she begins but I interrupt her.

"Why won't you listen to me? You're just like you were at the convent" I say, a desperate tone in my voice. At once her face shuts off and she leans back; withdrawing from this argument. Old habits die hard I guess.

"This conversation is over" she says looking back out of the window. I clench my jaw frustrated and then stand up abruptly. I need my own space, away from everyone, even Eight or Ella. I walk down the train, ignoring the inquisitive looks thrown my way.

It's so unfair! Why can't she take me seriously? I may not be a strong and deadly warrior like Six or Nine but that's not me. I'm a healer; I help people. I was never going to be a fighter like the others. I have different strengths. I've finally realised that, why can't she? Not everyone can be a warrior.

I stop when I reach the last carriage and I sit down, my arms crossed. I don't feel bad about my reaction, after years of this treatment I deserve to snap. Some days she'll be the Cepan I always dreamed of: supportive, kind, funny. But then on days like today, she'll just be the cold women I've grown up with.

"Ticket please" I look up and see the train attendant walking down the aisles, checking tickets. I pull mine out absently, not wanting to get into trouble.

"Thanks" the man says as I pass him mine. His voice is deep and muffled, like he has a cold. I look up automatically and inspect him curiously. He's pale with dark mysterious eyes but seems normal enough. I don't think anything of it.

He hands my back my ticket and after one long glance, he turns away. Without meaning to, I breathe a sigh of relief. He made me nervous and I want to head back to the others now. I get up and head to leave when my arm is grabbed and I'm thrown into a row of seats.

The ticket guy lunges for me but I use superspeed to dodge him and roll under him. I manage to make two steps down the aisle when I'm tackled around the waist and I go down, my head hitting a seat. My vision goes fuzzy for a second until I refocus. I push him off me, panic making me stronger. He goes flying off and then I jump up to run again.

For the third time that day I'm attacked. Someone grabs my wrist and before I can move, snaps it. I cry out in pain and throw a sloppy punch at the guy with my other hand. It's another mog and as I inspect the carriage, I realise the whole place is filled with them. They're the ordinary ones, the ones that look like citizens. That's why I didn't recognise them at once.

Oh shit.

The guy tries to kick me but I dodge and throw him away, into a window. I back up until I'm stuck by the doors of the train. I'm trapped.

_Ella! Help me!_ I call in my mind using telepathy. I get no reply and I panic, thinking that it didn't work. I quickly reach out and heal my wrist whilst trying to communicate with Ella once more. It doesn't work and fear consumes me.

Suddenly, the doors between carriages opens and Adelina runs in, a gun clutched in her hand. Without hesitation she shoots the three mogs who were in front of me and about to kill me. She throws a gun in my direction and I catch it with telekinesis, shooting the rest of the mogs quickly. Soon the carriage is empty except for us two.

She runs up to me and hugs me. I jerk in shock but hug her back, surprised by this turn of events.

"You were right. The others are holding the rest of the mogs off but... we're losing" she gasps as we make our way back throw the carriages. I can hear the fight and I hope that Eight's ok. _Of course he will be; he has amazing legacies and he's a strong fighter_ I reassure myself.

We're about to reach the carriage where the fight's happening when there's a sudden rumbling and then the carriage around us explodes. I'm thrown up into the air as flames and heat erupts around me. I fly through the air for a while until I slam into the ground, my body screaming in pain. I black out for a moment.

When I come to, I hear chocked cries nearby and I look to see a couple of mogs dying nearby. I'm lying in a field next to the tracks and I see the remains of the train continue to race away in the distance.

"Wait" I whimper trying to crawl after it. My mind's delirious with pain and shock. I have a terrible pain in my stomach and when I press a hand there, it comes back covered in blood. My legs aren't working and I can't think to heal myself. I'm too weak.

"Adelina?" I whisper, my voice a breathless sound. The train is almost gone and with it, my last chance to get any help.

I look around and see small explosions of ash as the mogs give up the fight for their lives. I can't do the same; I have to live. I can't heal myself yet but when I have enough energy, I will do so. I sit up, wincing in pain, and then assess the situation. There's no way I can get to the others; they're too far away by now. Tears slip down my cheeks and I sob in frustration and pain.

Eight will find me. He won't give up until he knows I'm safe, that I'm sure of. And Ella will feel the same way.

I look around once last time when I see a flash of blue in a sea of green grass. A blue jumper that I admired this morning. A blue jumper belonging to...

"No!" I gasp, crawling over to Adelina, my arms pulling my broken body along. I fall next to her and cry out in shock when I see the hug stains of blood on her shirt. I grab her hand and try to connect with something, anything to heal her.

There's nothing.

"No, no, no" I whimper, tears streaming steadily down my face. I press my hand to her chest but it doesn't make a difference.

She's dead. Again.

The tears overcome me and I cry freely, sobs wracking my body. I pull her into my arms and cradle her, pressing my cheek to hers. Once more she saved me before she died but this time she's not coming back.

She never will.

"Don't leave me. Please come back" I sob, rocking back and forth. I don't know whether I'm talking about her or the others. I close my eyes and lean into her, tears sliding from my closed eyelids.

Suddenly, I hear a shout and I look up through bleary eyes to see a couple of cars parked nearby. People are running towards me and I perk up thinking it's Eight. I knew he'd come!

"Over here!" I call weakly, my voice wavering. They start to get closer and then I realise that it's not the others at all; these are agents. I try to crawl back but the flash of pain I receive makes me moan involuntarily.

"Put your hands in the air!" someone shouts and I look up weakly as the people crowd around me. I can't help it and I start crying again from my helplessness.

"She needs help... medics!" someone else shouts. I find myself pulled away from Adelina and I whimper, trying to fight against the hands but I'm too weak. I'm pushed back into a lying position and I close my eyes in surrender. I can still hear the voice but they continue to fade around me until there's nothing but beautiful darkness.

I succumb quickly.

Xxx

Five

The explosion shakes the whole train and for a couple of seconds the train tips off the tracks. Using telekinesis I balance the train and guessing how easy it was, I guess the others helped.

The whole carriage is swarmed with mogs and the air is filled with ash and bullets. Without warning we were suddenly attacked and it took all our training to not die in the first couple of minutes. There are too many mogs here and I know that Eight's preparing to teleport us out.

"Ella, Two!" I hear him shout as he grabs their hands. Adam also grabs Three and Henri and I duck as a sword swings for my head. I throw a sharp uppercut and the mog turns to ash as its neck is snapped.

Nine loves every second of this attack, beating mogs into oblivion and showing them why not to mess with him. Six is also having a great time but she doesn't look as eager as Nine (though that's impossible). She's dealing out death to the mogs at such an impressive rate; it puts the rest of us to shame.

Except for Nine of course.

Eight reappears as well as Adam and then Crayton, Sandor, Sam and Malcolm are taken out. Six and I are invisible which is our greatest defence. No mog knows when we will attack. John is a human fireball, killing mogs with just his presence.

Adam reappears and John extinguishes his fire. Six appears and then Adam grabs the two of them, getting them out. The load of mogs presses against Nine and I and we're backed up against the window when Eight appears. His face is strained.

"Have you seen Marina?!" he yells, fear in his voice. I duck as bullets slam into the window behind my head, shattering the glass, and I throw my dagger at the mog shooting. The mogs stream forward but I leap over a row of seats, creating some distance between us. Nine joins me via antigravity whilst Eight through teleporting.

"I thought you got her out!" I yell back, using telekinesis to flip a mog out of the train. Nine swears.

"Dude, just get us out of here!" he shouts. Eight looks around one last time and then nods, taking our hands. Just as mog fire streams towards us, we disappear and reappear on a field, the racing train speeding away into the distance. I can see the smoke from here.

"Where's Marina?!" I turn and see Six nearby, panic in her voice as she spins around. Eight's breathing is rapid and he looks shell-shocked.

"She wasn't on the train. Neither was Adelina" he says, his voice strained and low. Horrible realisation hits me.

"Oh god. She went down to the end of the train before the attack" I say. Eight pales and looks pretty fragile, whilst Ella begins to cry, thinking the worst.

"She can't be dead. We would have a scar" Crayton points out, trying to calm us all. But emotions are running high amongst us.

"She must have been thrown out by the explosion" Sandor says, pointing down the field. Eight teleports at once as the rest of us race down the field, praying she's there. This is the last thing we need right now.

"She's not here!" Eight cries in a panic as he teleports around, running his hands through his hair. I can understand his concern; I was in a state when Nine was taken.

"Guys, over here" John calls, his voice serious. I go over and my breath stops at what I see.

Adelina lies on the ground, clearly dead. Blood covers her mangled body and her arms are flung out. Her expression is shocked and her eyes stare at the sky, seeing nothing. I bend down and gently close her eyes, feeling obliged to do so. She looks more peaceful, despite her wounds.

Henri says something in Loric, probably a blessing, whilst looking down on her body. It's cruel really. She was brought back from the dead so we assumed the Cepans were untouchable. However, this shows no one is safe.

Eight is still looking around as though Marina will just pop up and declare the whole thing a joke. I sigh and rub my face in exhaustion. Why can't we just have one day where we aren't bothered? Is it too much to ask?

"There are car tracks here" Two says, a distance away. She's a calm presence and I really appreciate that right now; Eight's thoughts and emotions are overpowering. I walk over and examine them. There are drops of blood nearby, all completely fresh.

"Agents were here" I confirm, my hands on my hips. Eight exhales sharply and clenches his fists, his face tight with pain. I see Ella reach out and take his hand, both of them worried about the girl they love.

"Marina was injured so they would have taken her to a nearby hospital" Sandor adds. I nod along and I see Six perk up. She's covered in dust and blood but I notice with jealousy how she still looks good. I will never be like her or Marina. I will always be the plain one whilst they can both capture a room's attention with just their looks. It's not fair.

"Where's the nearest hospital?" Six asks eagerly and I see Eight begin to cheer up a bit. Only a bit though. Malcolm look thoughtful and sad and I wonder what's going on with him. He's been so quiet recently.

"There's a city nearby with a couple of hospitals. We'll just have to search around them until we find her" Henri says after researching quickly on his phone. Thank god for technology.

"Let's go" Eight says at once, desperate to rescue Marina. I roll my eyes and Nine grins at me. I feel my heart lift and I look away, a blush covering my cheeks. He doesn't love me now; I need to get over myself.

"Wait" I turn and see Malcolm looking down his hands in his pockets as we all turn to go. Dread builds up in me; I know him well enough by now to know that he hasn't been right in a while. The others look at him curiously, Sam taking his hand concerned.

"I won't be coming with you anymore" he says gravely, his face filled with guilt. Sam gasps and pales noticeably, staring at his dad shocked. Henri nods sadly; I bet he already knew.

"Why not?!" Sam demands. Malcolm sighs again and looks away.

"I've been thinking about it for a while... I'm just not made for this sort of mission. I'm an alien-lover but I'm just holding you all back. You're better off without me" he says. Sam shakes his head quickly, refusing to listen to the sense in Malcolm's words.

"No, don't say that! You've helped us!" he says, trying to blink back tears.

"He's right Sam and you know it" I say, trying to intervene to make Sam see sense. His face jars with shock and then he stares at me, outraged.

"Shut up Five! You don't care at all!" he shouts. I know losing his dad is making him react like this but it still hurts to hear him shout at me. Nine steps forward, his fists clenched.

"Don't start on her!" he snaps, looking pretty scary. Sam simply ignores him and turns back to Malcolm.

"Please dad, just stay with us" he begs, tears streaming down his face. I see Henri shake his head sadly but he knows this is the best thing for Malcolm.

"I'm sorry Sam but this isn't my life anymore. I'm not made for this. Besides I want to go home, see your mother and sister. Live the life that the mogs took away from me" he says sadly.

"It's not fair" Sam complains. John crosses over to him and takes his hand, squeezing it. Sam needs his best friend right now.

"I'll come with you to the town but then I'll go back. I need to take your sister and mother away, somewhere the mogs can't find us" Malcolm says. It makes sense. They're still in trouble from the mogs and can be used as bait.

"We'll finish this discussion later" Sam warns his dad, refusing to really believe it. Malcolm sighs but nods.

"Can we go?" Eight begs, desperate to get to Marina as soon as possible. Henri nods and we set off according to directions.

We have a long journey ahead of us.

Xxx

Eight

"Can you stop pacing?" I turn and see Five frowning on the bed. I shrug in apology and sit down, trying to stay still.

We're resting in a hotel in preparation for tomorrow. I wanted to go and get Marina as soon as possible but when we scouted out the hospital earlier, she was still in surgery. Apparently her injuries are really bad and I'll only be happy once John heals her.

"I'm worried about her" I admit, clenching my hands together. Five sighs and closes her book.

"Wow, never would have guessed" she mutters sarcastically, making me smile despite myself.

"But seriously, don't worry. She'll be fine. The hospital is the best place for her right now and you know it" she says. I sigh but nod.

"I just want to get her as soon as possible before they move her" I say.

There are agents crawling all over the hospital, guarding Marina, but it's not as though she's going to attack in her state. I know they'll plan on moving her to a base as soon as she's stable and I want her safe and by my side before that.

"Dude, chill" Nine says, emerging from the bathroom. He's just showered and only has a towel wrapped around his waist. Five blushes when she sees him and looks away, making me frown in confusion. Soon, though, my concern for Marina takes over.

"The plan's solid" he continues, pulling a shirt over his head. I nod and think it through.

In the end, we decided that Nine, John and I would be the best to get Marina. John because he can heal, Nine because he's lethal and has no qualms about killing agents and me partly because I can teleport but mostly because I need to get Marina. I _have_ to get her to safety.

"I just hope those charms work" I fret. Five rolls her eyes.

"Henri and Sandor said they would so I have no qualms. Anyway, it's not as though you have to worry" she reassures me.

Basically we found these rings in our chest which allows us to change our appearance to whatever we want. However, it's very taxing and I know it only works once for a limited time and then stops working forever. That's why I decided to shape shift instead.

"Got the props?" I ask Five. She raises her eyebrow in annoyance and I grin in response. We're posing as agents to get in the hospital without suspicion and Five had to steal some badges as well as some FBI jackets. We'll fit right in.

"Just chill and get some sleep" Nine says, lounging on the double bed. I sigh but climb into the other bed, not wanting to share with Nine. He takes all the room; I'll let Five suffer that.

After a while, Nine and Five get into bed, both grumbling about having to share. I flick the lights off with telekinesis and lie in the darkness. Nine begins snoring whilst Five snuffles in her sleep but I can't relax at all. I can't get the image of Adelina's body out of my mind.

And Marina. I can't stop thinking about her.

I'm so worried about her. I'm worried she'll wake up in the hospital all alone, scared and in pain. All I want is to find her and stay with her, reassuring her. To tell her that I'll protect her and she just has to get better. But I can't. I'll have to wait.

I toss over and close my eyes, willing myself to fall asleep. When I finally do, a dream takes over me.

Xxx

I'm in Lorien and everything feels fresh and new. I'm next to a beautiful lake, with a small stream trickling into it nearby. Snow capped mountains line up in the distance, clouds drifting around the peaks. Down by the lake, willow trees line the bank, the leaves dipping into the water. I see beautiful creatures never found on Earth frolicking in the water and my breath catches at the beauty.

I notice the grand house by the bank of the lake. It's made of this stunning material almost like glass, swirling with the colours blue and white. It takes my breath away at the elegance of the structure; it looks as though it's floating on air and bathed in light.

A young girl about 17 is down by the water, a sketchpad in her hands. She's wearing a delicate blue dress; it's so beautiful and ripples in the gentle breeze. It's like water and light woven together.

Her face is obscured by I can see thick black hair that looks a lot like Six's. I watch on suspiciously; what am I being shown?

"Arya!" the girl turns and I gasp, it _is_ Six! Arya must have been her Loric name. She looks sweeter and gentler, less like the badass Six we know today. The soft smile on her face looks out of place and I don't like it.

What is going on? Is this what would happen if Lorien was never attacked?

I turn to see who was calling and stare in shock at the girl there, it's Marina! Except, it's a version I don't know. This Marina is smiling but there's something about her that's more confident. This Marina knows she's pretty and uses that to her advantage. This one is more manipulative than the one I love.

"You were right! My brother is a love-struck idiot!" Marina calls, her voice slightly harsher. I wince, finding it weird to see this. This is what Marina would be like if Lorien was never attacked.

"Don't be cruel... he can't help it" Six replies, looking out over the Lake. Marina laughs and shakes her head.

"Oh Arya, can't you see the potential? Can't you see what we can do? We have the most powerful Loric wrapped around your little finger! We can use that to our advantage!" Marina exclaims.

"Enough Terentia!" Six shouts.

Terentia? Wasn't she one of the... oh, this is a past event and that's not Marina or Six. Those are two original elders and I'm only watching this memory. I get a rush of relief that this isn't Marina; I hated thinking she could have been like this.

"You like him" Terentia says, a dangerous note in her voice. Arya sighs and then shuts her sketchbook, standing up with a glare.

"Not all of us are like you. Some of us have feelings" she retorts, walking away. Terentia grabs her arm and twists it cruelly. Arya cries out as she is pulled to Terentia, her arm twists behind her back. Terentia grabs a fistful of Arya's hair and jerks her head back.

"Are you mad?!" Arya gasps, tears leaking out of her eyes. Terentia laughs.

"I want you to use your hold over my brother. You have a great power over him so use it! Realise the potential!" she hisses. Arya shakes her head and jerks away, taking erratic steps away from Terentia.

"What's wrong with you?! Why are you like this?!" she asks, her voice shaking. Terentia shrugs.

"You have to be tough to survive" she says. Her cruel face looks nothing like Marina now and I find myself disgusted by her. Apparently, not all Loric are nice.

Setrakus is perfect proof of that.

"Survive what?!" Arya begs, close to tears. Terentia suddenly looks unsure and looks away.

"Setrakus... he's more dangerous than you'll ever know" she whispers. Arya shakes her head.

"Wh-what! What's he got to do with this?!" she cries, frustrated and scared. Terentia suddenly becomes deathly calm and smiles serenely.

"Hello brother" she says cordially as a version of John walks up. He looks slightly more arrogant, more confident than the one I know. I decide I prefer my friends to these Elders; these ones seem harsher.

"Arya, are you ok?" Pittacus asks, looking at Arya concerned as she wipes away some tears. She sends a vicious glare to Terentia.

"Once your sister leaves me alone, then yes" she replies. Pittacus narrows her eyes whilst Terentia smiles sweetly, walking away.

"The truth hurts Arya. So will the future" she calls, disappearing into the trees. The vision goes blank.

I sit up in bed, sweating and shaking. Terentia knew all along about the fall of Lorien, yet she only helped make it worse. Or maybe she knew that it was always going to happen and nothing she did was ever going to change that.

I think of the Elders and how arrogant and defenceless they'd seemed. Even Marina would be a stronger fighter than Terentia. If all of the Loric had been that weak, maybe the fall of the planet hadn't been inevitable.

Maybe it was even necessary.

_You have to be tough to survive_

The Loric simply weren't strong enough to survive.

Are we?

* * *

**So that last dream might seem odd but there is significance to it; it'll be obvious later on in the story.**

**Also, I know I bought Adelina and the other Cepans back but she had to die now her reconciliation with Marina is over. Unlike the other Cepans, she wasn't bringing anything to my story apart from that. Don't worry, I won't kill off anyone else.**

**Question: Which Loric couple is your favourite?**

**So, please review!**


	47. Chapter 47

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...**

**Hi guys!**

**Wow, over 600 reviews... that's amazing! Thank you all sooooo much for all the support and all the reviews; they mean so much to me! You guys are the best readers ever!**

**Secondly, sorry for the later update. I'm losing track of days at the moment since I'm back at college... it's all messed up again :D**

**I'm glad you guys liked the dream. Like I said, it has significance later on :D**

**Anyway, read on and enjoy!**

* * *

Nine

"For God's sake dude, stop worrying" I order Eight as he fidgets in his new FBI jacket. He's filled with nerves and I know he's desperate to see Marina. But in order to pull this off, he needs to calm down.

"What if they've hurt her?" he asks, as we drive up to the hospital. I roll my eyes.

"She's already hurt" I say. John glares at me and I sigh, trying again. "Look, in the hospital, the doctors are superior to the agents. They won't let her be touched" I reassure Eight. He nods and breathes deeply, trying to calm himself.

I understand his nerves, I really do. Not only is Marina in the possession of the Government but she could be in critical condition. She's vulnerable and alone and for a guy in love, it's a living nightmare. If it were Five in there, I would be feeling exactly the same.

"How do I look?" John asks with a grin. I laugh and shake my head.

In order to be convincing, we had to match our appearances to the ones on the badges we stole. John is now fat with a load of spots and a crooked nose. I think Five took the ugliest images possible because I don't look much better than him and neither does Eight.

She has a warped sense of humour. Which is one of the many reasons I love her.

I park the car and climb out, looking confident and in control. John does the same although Eight still seems jumpy. I guess he won't be ok until he has Marina. We walk to the hospital and flash our badges at security. We get right through.

Idiots.

We already know the way to where Marina's being kept and it doesn't take us long to reach there. When we get there, there are two agents outside the door, while others patrol the surrounding corridors. I walk up to the agents by the door.

"We've come to take over" I say, putting a strong Texan accent on. I show him my badge and Eight and John do the same. One of the guys nods.

"Sure, to be honest it's not a hard job. _It's_ not woken up" he says. I bristle inwardly at the use of 'it' instead of 'she' but I don't say anything. Eight clenches his fists and the other agent notices.

"What's up with you?" he asks. I jump in at once, having thought up an excuse. Someone's got to keep their cool around here and it's not gonna be Eight.

"He's never met one of those scum before, like we have. He's nervous" I lie. The man nods and grins reassuringly.

"Don't worry. By tomorrow, it'll be packed off to West Virginia" he says and the other man laughs. I hold my hand out and both the guys shake it; I have to hold up appearances.

"I'm Agent Morgan and these are Agents Hathaway and Sykes" I say, gesturing to John and Eight. The first guy nods.

"I'm Agent Wood and this is Agent Blake" he says. I grin at them.

"So what happened, huh? We just got a call asking for back-up but nothing else was said" I say, wanting to know how serious Marina's condition now ad whether she's better at all. I also want to know if the mogs are involved in holding Marina. These agents are obviously in the know about us Loric so they'll know about mogs too.

"Train exploded when the mogadorians tried to capture the Loric scum. This one was separated from the rest" Wood explains. John nods.

"Where are they?" he asks, playing along with the Texan accent. Our alias' came from Texas so we need to keep up appearances.

"No idea. But they're not here" Blake says, joining in the conversation.

"Why'd you think that?" I ask, genuinely interested. This is good news for us if they believe we're not here.

"No trace of them that we can find. They're bloody good at hiding. Anyway, they've probably given up on attempts to save that one" Wood jerks his thumb towards the room where Marina is. "It's too heavily guarded and in a pretty bad way. Doctors say it's a miracle it's even alive"

I'm filled with concern but I calm myself; John can heal her. I nod and pretend to look thoughtful. "Which one did you get? One of the fighters or a weaker one?" Eight asks, speaking for the first time. Wood laughs.

"You done your homework?" he jokes. I laugh and nod.

"Had to know the difference. They got those powers and shit, have to know which one's which... which ones to kill and which ones to capture" I explain.

"Take a look. We don't think it's one of the stronger ones but it certainly put up a fight once it regained consciousness, despite its injuries" Blake says. I see John's jaw clench and Eight's hands turn into fists but they don't say anything fortunately.

We go to the door and unlock it, Wood going first. He opens the door when something slams into his head and he falls down unconscious. Blake shouts as something swings towards him too but he's not fast enough and he's knocked down, blood also spilling from his head. They're not dead but very much out of it.

Marina leaps out, a piece of metal in her hands but I'm too fast. I grab her around the waist whilst John pulls the weapon out of her hands. She struggles desperately in my arms, throwing a pretty good elbow shot into my stomach. I let her go in shock and she takes two steps before Eight grabs her. She doesn't recognise us in our disguises and she's too panicked to use mind control.

"Stop it!" I hiss but Marina doesn't listen. She kicks John viciously in the stomach and I can't help but be proud of my teaching to make her a better fighter. She's improved loads.

"Marina! It's us!" Eight says, shape shifting back into his normal self. Marina stops fighting at once and stares at him in shock.

"What the hell?" she asks, clearly confused. Eight grins in relief and kisses her without hesitating, not even caring that we're watching. It's only quick; their 'grand reunion' will have to wait until later.

"Charms" I say, but not revealing myself.

"Nine?" she asks confused. I roll my eyes and shove the unconscious Wood and Blake further into the room, shutting the door on them.

"We've gotta go" John says and we walk back down another corridor. We listen out for other agents but so far so good. Marina and Eight hang behind, hands clasped as he explains everything to her in hushed tones.

"How do we get out of here?" John asks, looking around worried.

"Eight, go back to how you were before" I order him. He grimaces but obliges, turning back into the guy he was pretending to be before. Marina smiles at him, not confused anymore, and he flushes in embarrassment at his alias' appearance.

"Ok, Marina you're gonna have to pretend to be unconscious" I say. She sighs but nods, letting Eight pick her up. She lies limply in his arms, doing a good impression.

"Hey! What's going on?" I turn and see a couple of agents running down towards us. I have the whole thing planned out when everything goes wrong.

The charms stop working.

Damn it, I forgot about the time limit!

At once, John and I turn back to normal, leaving Eight the only one in disguise. The guards recognise us at once and raise their guns but I use telekinesis to rip them away. I race up the wall and drop behind them. Before they can react, I hit them on the head with my staff and they crumple to the ground, unconscious.

When I return to the others Eight is back to normal and Marina is no longer pretending to be unconscious. John grabs the two guns and hands one to Marina. I extend my pipe staff as we prepare to fight.

More agents run down the hallway and I switch into battle mode at once. I run up the wall and ceiling, then drop down into the group. One turns to fire at me, but I knock the gun out of his hands and slam my fist into his nose, knocking him out with my hard hit. I swing around and use my staff to trip up a couple more agents. They fall to the ground, cracking their heads on the hard floor.

"Come on Nine!"John shouts as he and the others duck around the group of agents and run down the next corridor. I sigh but after a quick kick to the ribs of an agent, run after them.

"Where are we going?!" I yell. This isn't the way to the exit!

"The roof! There are too many agents and mogs at the entrance!" Eight shouts back. I swear as we swerve round a corner, almost running into a group of nurses. They scream and press against the wall as we run past.

"Up here!" Marina shouts, leading us to a group of stairs. We reach the doors but they're locked. One swift kick by me and we're through, racing up the stairs.

"Can't you teleport us out?!" I yell to Eight. He shakes his head in annoyance.

"No, I can't get enough distance and then I can't take us all out anyway" he replies. We turn the corner in the stairs when something slams into us. I hear Marina cry out and John swear as we tumble back down a flight of stairs.

When I stop rolling, I jump up to see what attacked me. A wolf-like creature snarls back at me and then pounces. I swing my staff and whack the creature like a bat hits a ball. It yelps and flies into the wall but it doesn't die.

Marina and John are both healing Eight who apparently got the worst of the hit. His vicious scratches and bites are being healed and he gets up almost immediately.

"Nine!" I turn as the thing jumps for me again but I dodge and roll under it using superspeed. I jam my pipe staff into the animal as it jumps over me and my weapon wedges in its' stomach. It howls in pain as it's skewered on my staff and then it explodes into ash.

"Nice one" John says and I grin at him. We continue to make our way up the stairs, mindful of more animals that could attack us.

We finally reach the roof, sweating and panting. We run to the edge and watch with horror as around 50 vans surround the hospital, each of them bearing the FBI sign. Agents wearing protective clothing and clutching rifles rush out of the vans, heading for the hospital.

"Shit" I swear as I hear the unmistakeable sound of helicopters. I watch as three approach us, guns descending and ready to fire. Eight moves slightly so he's in front of Marina and John turns pale. But it's not from the helicopters or even the threat of all the agents and the mogs.

It's the figure standing opposite us on the roof.

"So nice to see you again" Setrakus Ra says.

Xxx

Six

I'm bored.

Out-of-my-mind bored.

There's nothing to do but wait. After growing up constantly on the move, with threats at every corner, waiting for other people to enjoy all the action is really tough. I tried sleeping but that didn't work and neither did the crappy shows on the TV.

Not only am I bored, but I'm also worried about Marina. She's stuck in that hospital and I know Eight will do everything he can to get her out, but her Cepan died as well for the second time. That's going to be tough to deal with.

"Ugh, this is so annoying!" I turn and see Five chuck a magazine at the wall. Like me, she's sick of being cooped up and wants to be in on the action. But more than three 'agents' would have been suspicious so we had to stay behind.

"I'm sure they'll be fine" Henri says mildly, surfing the internet for news. Old habits die hard.

We're all camped out in the same hotel room, needing the extra moral support whilst we wait for news. Three, Two and Ella are playing this kind of card game but I'd be too distracted to play. Adam is reading a book whilst the Cepans are looking out for any interesting new stories.

Suddenly Ella jerks upright in shock, making me jump off the bed, adrenalin pumping through my veins. Her face is alarmed and Crayton is kneeling in front of her at once.

"What's going on?" he asks, worry in his voice. Five and I inch closer, both of us with wariness on our faces.

"They're in trouble! Setrakus is there!" Ella says. That's all I need to hear.

The others jump up and try to gain some order but Five and I are already in action. We grab our weapons and race out of the door, ignoring the shouts from the others. We can help Nine and the others whilst the rest catch up.

Fear for John pounds through me, making me faster than normal. Five must feel the same because she's keeping up pretty well considering she has shorter legs than me. I hope John's ok; if he's not, I'll make Setrakus pay.

It takes us five minutes to reach the hospital and by the time we get there, we're both sweating and panting. However, we don't hesitate to race up the emergency ladder leading to the roof. That's where Five said Setrakus was. We're both invisible of course; we don't want to cause a distraction.

When we reach the top, my breath stops in horror. John's lying on the ground, a huge puddle of blood surrounding him. Marina is knelt next to him but by the desperation on her face, her legacies have gone. Eight is guarding Marina and John from a couple of mogs whilst Nine is battling Setrakus.

How is this possible? John is Pittacus! How is he injured?!

I stand on the roof in shock, horror my main feeling. But Five, she doesn't let John's predicament worry her. Setrakus is beating Nine and about to deliver a death blow when she slams into Setrakus and both of them tumble onto the ground.

"Six!" I turn as Eight chucks me a gun. I catch it and try to aim a shot at Setrakus but he's too fast. He grabs Five by the hair and throws her to the opposite side of the roof. She tumbles over herself and then slams into the small wall running around the edge. She collapses in a heap, blood running down her face. Nine's up in seconds and fighting Setrakus once more.

I run to John and assess the damage. Eight moves away to fight Setrakus with Nine as Marina's gaze follows him, her eyes filled with fear. She turns back to John, but her legacy doesn't work, no matter how hard she tries.

"We have to get as far away as possible" I tell her, pulling John into my arms. I see Five unsteadily getting to her feet, about to join Nine and Eight.

Marina and I make our way to the door, leading to the steps down to the hospital, when it explodes out, just as we reach it. Mog fire and the door hits us three and we fly in the air, having no control. I hear someone cry my name as we tumble over the roof.

My body falls towards the ground, gathering speed as gravity does it's trick. Marina is nearby, her hair whipping around her face as she plummets to the ground as well.

Suddenly, when I've given up all hope of living, something grabs my arm and I stop falling, Marina hanging next to me. I've still got a hold on John and I grip him tighter, not willing to let him go.

BK, in a huge eagle form, flies through the air, speeding away from the hospital. I laugh in shock and relief to be alive. He must have known we needed the help and now must know that we need distance for Marina to heal John. We fly rapidly through the air, until Marina cries out in joy. She's holding John's hand and as I watch in delight, his wound starts to heal up. The blood stops flowing and the injury disappears. Marina sags more in the grip of BK but she still smiles, relieved despite her exhaustion.

I have tears in my eyes as I cling to John, so happy he's ok. He communicates with BK to take us back to the hospital, which he does at once. John kisses me very quickly on the lips, until we're deposited on the roof.

Mogs and agents swarm round, as the others right them off. Fortunately, the rest of our group have arrived and are fighting back against the mogs. Ash fills the air and I try not to choke on it. Eight teleports to us and I cry out in relief to see our legacies have returned. He beams at us and then hugs Marina quickly before rejoinging the fight.

I join the battle, fighting without thinking. I duck here and there; swinging my sword into mogs' flesh and watching them explode into dust. We all fight blindly; we have to win. We use our legacies to help destroy the mogs and agents.

And oh, what a show.

Five uses her ability to manipulate elements to control water and creates swirling waves that washes mogs over the side of the building. She must be getting the water from the plumbing system. Eight is transforming into grotesque beasts whilst teleporting around and then he displays his deadly master legacy. John uses his newly developed legacy to convince mogs they're feeling intense pain and their screams fill the air. Marina uses mind control to tell mogs to not move and then Ella darts through, finishing them off with her little dagger.

Nine, well he just loves to fight and it's clearly shown.

We're unbeatable. Unstoppable.

But then of course, something goes wrong. Something _always_ goes wrong.

Adam had been fighting off mogs with a sword and gun, when he came too close to Setrakus, who had just managed to throw Nine down. Setrakus' face had twisted with rage when he saw Adam and had lunged forward with his sword.

Five had seen this and raced forward, blocking the blow. Before she had time to drag Adam away to safety, Setrakus lunged forward and grabbed them both.

The whole army disappears.

I stop fighting and stare around in shock, at the emptiness. I run to the edge and lean over; there are no agents, mogs... nothing. They've all gone.

Including Five and Adam.

Xxx

Ella

"Why the hell does this keep happening?!" Nine rants as he paces around the room. We're in a different hotel now, a couple of hours away from the town we were in earlier.

We had searched around desperately for Five and Adam but they were nowhere to be seen. There was no doubt in our minds that Setrakus had taken them so we'd had to leave before more authorities turn up.

"It's because our group is too big" Henri sighs, rubbing his forehead. Crayton nods along, looking weary. I'm worried about him, even though I know he's only stressed.

Marina sighs next to me and shifts slightly. She's cleaned up since the battle and isn't wearing the torn, bloodstained ones she had to wear before. She told me that she'd woken up in the hospital and had healed herself, meaning to escape before she was taken away. She'd changed into the clothes she wore on the train since they'd been left out for her and then had tried to escape, meeting Eight and the others in the process.

"So what do we do then? We need to rescue Five and Adam" Eight says, on the other side of Marina. He's clutching her hand and she leans into him, needing his comfort. The death of Adelina is weighing heavily on her and I know she needs some support. Naturally, Eight and I are willing to offer it to her.

"I suggest we split up" Sandor says, ignoring a couple of groans. We're always splitting up.

"No listen, it's a good idea" Crayton backs up. We all sit in silence, waiting to hear it.

"We need another safe house since Chicago is out of limits" Henri begins, all of us nodding along. "Sandor, Crayton and I think we should go and do this. We're useful in battle but you guys are very good now and don't need the help you did before" he says. John looks like he wants to protest but doesn't say anything.

"And you guys need to get Six's chest" Sandor says, looking completely relaxed as usual. Nine shakes his head.

"What about Five?! We can't leave her!" he announces. I nod along and so does Six.

"If the chest is in West Virginia, then it's likely she'll be there too" Crayton says. Nine slumps down defeated and then nods.

"So where will you guys go?" he asks.

"California. There's an isolated house that looks interesting enough. We'll send you the address via text once we're there" Henri says.

"Isn't a text dangerous?" Six asks, her lips pursed. Sandor shrugs.

"Just as dangerous as us all staying together as a big group. We're too obvious" he says.

"So once we get Six's chest, Five and Adam, we join you guys" John confirms. Henri nods.

"But we won't be alone. We're taking Ella, Three and Two with us" Crayton says, smiling at me. I look up in protest.

"But I want to help!" I cry out. Marina squeezes my hand, trying to reassure me but I ignore her. This isn't fair!

"You three will be developing more of your legacies any day now. You need to train and hone them; you can't do that on the run. Besides, it will be a week at most" Henri says. I back down, he's right but I still want to help. I cross my arms and scowl but I give in all the same.

"Right, we'll make final plans in the morning. You all need to sleep now" Henri orders. Everyone at once gets up to leave, except Marina, Eight and I; we're sharing this room. When the room's empty, Eight lies back on the bed, his hand covering his face.

"What do we have to do to get a break?" he asks, the stress clear in his voice. Marina smiles sadly and shrugs.

"Defeat the mogs. Win the war." she says. Eight laughs and sits up, wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling his face in her hair. I feel like I'm interrupting a private moment until Marina smiles at me.

"I'm gonna miss you" she says to me. I smile at her and shrug.

"Me too, but I suppose it's for the best. I _do_ need to hone my legacies and if I get another one, the middle of an attack on a base is not the best place to get one" I say. Marina nods and looks down at the bedspread, a frown on her face.

"I'm sorry about Adelina" I say, reaching out and taking her hand. She smiles, even though her eyes are sad.

"It's all right... now I know how you feel" she says to Eight. He nods and smiles, though the look in his eyes is concerned.

"I bet one day we'll look back on this war... when we're happy and settled on Lorien..." Eight muses, tracing patterns on Marina's arm. Those two are so in love; it makes me jealous that he's taken some of her attention away from me. I also hope that one day I'll be as happy as Marina is with Eight, that I'll have someone I can trust completely like she can.

"Do you think we will be? Happy and settled?" Marina asks, turning slightly to look at him. He nods.

"Definitely. In fact, I bet we'll be bored" he announces. I giggle and nod.

"And old. We'll be _old"_ I say, faking horror. Marina laughs and shakes her head.

"You're too used to humans. We get to stay younger for a lot longer" she says. I grin and lie back on the bed.

"200 years with you... what am I going to do?" Eight says to Marina, pretending to be horrified. She laughs and hits his arm.

"Who said I'll stay with you?" she teases. Eight grins and then leans down kissing her before she can say anything else. I grab a pillow and chuck it at them.

"Eww, that's gross. I'm only 12!" I say. Marina pulls back and laughs, poking me in the stomach. I giggle and squirm out of the way.

"Ha, wait until _you_ fall for a guy, you'll understand" she threatens. I grin and then shrug.

"I'm never falling in love" I announce. Eight shrugs and plays with a lock of Marina's hair.

"That's what I said after Reynolds died but I still did. You can't help it when it's the right person" he says. Marina blushes and looks down on me.

"It's ok, even if you _do_ fall in love, I won't let you date him" she says. I laugh and shake my head at her protectiveness.

"This poor guy... I feel sorry for him" Eight says. I roll my eyes.

"It's never going to happen" I protest but Marina shakes her head.

"It will... just you wait" she says, lying down next to me, Eight behind her, still grinning. She reaches out and takes my hand, smiling at me just as the lights turn off with telekinesis.

"It won't" I object for the last time. She laughs, clearly not believing me.

I _won't _fall in love.

Ever.

* * *

**I had to put in a little fluff towards the end there. :D**

**Also, I know they're splitting up again but this is the last time for a very long time.**

**Question: Which Garde member would you most want to be like? **

**Please review!**


	48. Chapter 48

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...**

**Hi guys!**

**Thank you all soooo much for all the reviews! They are lovely and sooo supportive! You guys are officially the best!**

**Secondly, I'm sorry the whole being kidnapped thing seems repetitive. I've tried to change things up a little but I'm finding it hard to find so many different storylines after I've done a few about bases and kidnappings. In fact, I've got a new storyline incorperated in the next chapter but I think a lot of you guys will hate me for it. :D**

**readingnerd18: I can't exactly remember where I heard the agents' names from but they're definitely not my own... I'm rubbish with names! :D**

**isabelleatalante: I am planning to write until they reach Lorien... but not sure how many chapters that will be. I might even do a sequel of what will happen once they're on Lorien, though the immediate aftereffects and stuff.**

**TheSpectarPlaywright: All the three things you mentioned will come up, I promise. Also, John really does need to step up :D**

**Also, you may hate this separation thing with Five and Nine but maybe they will realise how much they really mean to each other...**

**Read on and enjoy!**

* * *

(Couple of days after last chapter)

Eight

"That's the way in?" I ask, looking at the small blue sheet covering the 'entrance'. Nine nods and grins.

"Yep, that's it" he affirms. He's uneasy, despite his bravado. This is the place his Cepan was killed and he was held for over a year; of course he's nervous. But more than anything, he's filled with revenge.

Marina shifts anxiously next to me, her hands curled into small fists. I smile at her briefly but like her, I'm also filled with nerves. This isn't a small base by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, this is the biggest mog base on Earth and we're about to attack it.

"So we only look for prisoners. Nothing else" Nine says, looking at us pointedly. I nod, knowing how desperate he is to get to Five. They're very good friends after having to get on in Russia and I know he sees her as a best friend. Of course he wants to rescue her.

"What else would we look for? Friendly pikens?" Marina mutters sarcastically under her breath. I grin and Nine rolls his eyes.

"Sweet" he mutters. We're waiting for a signal from John, Six and Sam and then we can enter. They're gone round the other side, to the other entrance, to get Six's chest whilst we find Five and Adam.

Suddenly, there's an exploding sound from within the base and Nine jumps up, ready for action. Adrenalin floods through my veins as we charge to the base; the explosion was our signal. Marina and Nine race ahead of me easily with their legacy of superspeed but I teleport to them every couple of seconds or so.

We race down the entrance corridor, Nine killing any stray mogs with one swipe of his staff. One mog throws himself at Marina but she dodges using superspeed and chucks him into a wall, where he explodes into ash. It's incredible how far she's come from the nervous, insecure girl that I first met. I love her more and more each day.

"Down here" Marina calls, swerving to the right. Nine and I follow, trusting her mind control more than our sense of direction.

Alarms are blaring throughout the base, giving me a minor headache but I can't see any mogs. I assume that's because they've gone to fight John and the others, not realising there are other attackers.

We speed round another corner when we see a light up ahead in the dreary corridor. We head towards it slowly, not sure exactly what it is. We gasp when we reach the entrance of the tunnel.

It's a huge cavern filled with connecting arches spread out between each side. In front of us lies one of these bridges, no handrail, just smooth metal. A pool of boiling hot green liquid stews right at the bottom of the base; I can feel the heat from here.

"We need to get across this arch" Marina says, gesturing in front of us with a frown. I understand the problem; the mogs will see us if we walk across. But it's easily sorted with me here.

I grab their hands and easily teleport them across as the distance wasn't too far. Nine grins in relief which increases when we're finally spotted by a group of mogs. Soldiers.

They fire at us at once, but Marina uses telekinesis to divert them. The mogs race for us but I teleport to some, ripping into them before they know I'm there. Nine does the same, dropping down from the ceiling. When we're done with the senseless killing, I turn back to Marina to see her talking to a mog. She's using mind control on it to find out where the prisoners are.

"This way" she says, pointing down a small corridor that branches off into the base. Nine snaps the mogs' neck easily and I see Marina grimace slightly. She may do her part in the fighting but she's still a gentle person.

We run once more down the small corridor until we reach the end. This hall is much larger and longer, doors lined up on both sides. We're going to have a very hard job going through it all.

A couple of guards jump forwards but I raise my hands and shoot my white fire at them. They disintegrate in seconds in the flames and the door behind them melts from the heat. There's no one inside, thank god. They would have died from the heat too.

"Ok, let's do this" Nine says, running to the first door. He pulls it out from the wall but nobodies in there; just an empty cell with chains on the wall. Marina's already used telekinesis to open the next door but like the first, it's empty. I sigh and rip off the third door with my hands and then recoil away in disgust.

A human body lies on the floor, decomposing. Marina cries out when she sees and turns a little green, as though she wants to be sick. I don't blame her, I want to. This person is long dead but even now, I can see the signs of torture as well as the chains clasped on its wrists. Marina presses a hand over her mouth and even Nine looks faintly horrified.

I raise my hands and send my white fire to the body, destroying the remains in seconds. Giving it the respect it finally deserves.

We continue down the hallway, conscious of time, when there's only one door left. Nine's face is taut with despair; Five clearly isn't here and neither is Adam. Nine rips off the door when we hear a scream of fear.

A girl's scream.

"Five?!" Nine shouts hopefully, jumping into the cell.

"What do you want with me?!" I look down and don't see Five or Adam. Instead, I see a very scared human girl.

She's around 17, with thick black hair and green eyes, almost like mine. Her skin is pale and covered in bruises and she's quite thin. She's dirty and her clothes are ripped and torn. My heart twists in pity and Marina must feel the same because she walks forward to heal the girl.

"Stay away from me!" the girl shrieks, as Marina approaches. Nine stands back, confused and stunned by this turn of events. Marina bends down and takes the girl's hand, ignoring her cries. Pretty soon, the bruises and cuts begin to heal up and the girl stares at Marina in awe.

"Wh-what?" the girl whispers confused. She's actually very pretty, though nowhere near as beautiful as Marina to me, and her big eyes stare at us all confused.

"We're the Loric. You know what that is, right?" Nine says, stepping forwards. No point in lying, the girl's locked up in a mog prison after all. She must know something about us.

She nods but then draws back when Nine approaches her. He sighs and tries to look nicer but it doesn't work. He _is_ very intimidating looking and I wonder if I should approach instead.

"We're here to help. We're looking for some friends of ours" Marina says gently. The girl looks at her trustingly and then nods again, looking less scared.

"A short girl with black hair and constant scowl?" I ask, joining in. The girl's eyes widen in recognition.

"Five?" she whispers. Her voice wavers with fear and she's trying to hold back tears. Marina takes her hand and smiles encouragingly at her.

"Yes, is she here?" she asks. Nine has hung back, realising Marina's the only one about to get answers.

"No... they took her away yesterday, along with the other boy. Then they left me alone again" she whispers. Nine swears and punches the wall, making the girl flinch. Marina lays a comforting hand on her arm.

"I'm Marina, what's your name?" she asks. The girl sniffs.

"Cassie, my name's Cassie" she replies. Marina nods and then looks at the chains.

"We're going to have to break these. It won't hurt" she reassures her as Nine steps forward. He easily snaps the cuffs around Cassie's wrists and afterwards she flexes them, a relieved look on her face.

"Come on, we have to go" Marina says, helping the girl stand. As soon as she's up, her legs give way and Nine reaches forward to catch her. She must have been here a long time if she's that weak. Nine lifts her into his arms, a surprisingly sad look on his face. The girl looks scared but doesn't make a noise.

We run outside the cell again, not sure where to go when a ball of fire races our way. I pull Marina back into the cell and see Nine already in here, having dodged it quickly.

"They know we're here now!" Marina shouts over the roar of distant pikens. They must be waiting for us somewhere.

"Come on!" Nine shouts, running back out into the hallway. We race back down the corridor, jumping over the discarded doors. I hear mog soldiers behind us and I send a stream of fire down that way, hearing them scream in pain.

We race back through the way we came in, running down a maze of small corridors. Nine's in front, despite the load in his arms, whilst Marina runs next to me. We turn the corner when we're hit by a stream of mog fire.

I hear Cassie scream as we're thrown back, landing in a heap on the floor. Nine groans in pain and struggles to breath; he got the direct hit. Marina rubs her head as she tries to sit up, but we're weak from the effects of the mog fire. Adam told us that they put a special weakening chemical in it.

"Are you ok?" Marina asks me. I nod shakily, as I look around for mogs. I hear some running towards us and stand up, clutching my gun. Cassie has crawled into the corner, tears streaming down her face whilst Nine is trying to get up.

The mogs race round the corner and I shoot my white fire at them. It's a great legacy; almost all mogs are wiped out. The couple barely alive are shot by Marina.

"This way!" Nine shouts, finally recovered, going down another corridor. I nervously follow him, aware of the maze of halls we could be getting lost in. Cassie is being dragged along by the hand by Nine, who seems unwilling to leave her behind.

I'm not sure how long we run for or how many more mogs we kill. It's an endless blur of killing and then escaping down long corridors. Cassie is now thrown over Nine's shoulder; there was no other way for her to keep up.

"Here! We're almost out!" Marina calls, ducking through a small door. I follow her lead, Nine and Cassie close behind. I gasp without thinking when we enter the huge cavern that's the centre of the room. Mogs that were rushing around with guns, stop and point when they see us.

"There!" Nine yells, pointing to a tunnel with a bright light at the end. Ironic really, because it's our only hope.

We race through the cavern, Nine and I dealing with the mogs whilst Marina drags Cassie along. Things are looking ok and it looks like we can make it when there's a huge roar and something hurls into me. I cry out as I'm rolled over and over, the bones in my body shattering and my skin being shredded. The piken on top of me snarls, ready to kill me.

"Eight!" I hear Marina scream my name but the wave of mogs is dragging her away from me. The others can make it out but I can't. At least I know Marina will live.

The piken's teeth near my throat and I conjure up a picture of Marina in my mind, needing her to be my last thought. I don't want to think about anything else, anything morbid. I close my eyes in resignation.

I feel a stabbing pain in my chest as the piken scratches me and I can't help the scream that escapes my throat. Cries and blood choke their way out of my throat and I begin to panic, wanting this torture to end. I hear Marina scream my name again but I can't do anything.

_Can't you?_

I blink in surprise, sure that in my last moments I've gone mad. That's the only way to possibly explain that voice. The piken sniffs my chest with the open wound gushing out blood and it prepares to take a bite.

Oh god.

_Do you think this is what Marina wants to see? You want her to see you give up and leave her forever?_

There's that voice again. But it's helping me, giving me strength. I feel the pain in my chest disappear, even though the wound is still there, and I feel a surge of new strength.

_Fight for Lorien, Number Eight. Don't give up now._

They're right. I can't give up. That would only insult the Loric who worked so hard to get us here.

I need to fight.

With a cry, I release my last bit of energy with my bright fire and it streams towards the piken, making it disintegrate in seconds. I sit up slowly, clutching my chest, looking around for the others. They're not here; Nine would have dragged them out when he thought I was going to die.

I stumble to my feet and somehow manage to teleport to the corridor. I lurch down at a fast pace, knowing I need Marina and quickly. I may be alive but only barely and dying by the second. My breaths are coming shorter and all I can think about is the pain that has now returned. There aren't any mogs; Nine must have killed them all in a rage at my 'death'.

I stagger out of the corridor, running the last few steps to the tree line where I finally collapse, my strength gone. I tried...I really did and this is a good way to die, the trees above my swaying in the gentle wind, lying in the grass not a mog base...

"Eight!"

Marina runs to me and falls to her knees by my side, her hands at once reaching for my chest. I groan in pain as the wound begins to heal and my bones begin to repair but I'm happy, thrilled. I'll be all right.

I'll live.

Once Marina's done, she throws herself into my arms, clinging to me despite the blood staining my clothes. Nine is behind her, his eyes also slightly wet and breathing quickly. Cassie is nearby, unsure of what to say or do.

"Glad to have you back, man" Nine says, his voice slightly strangled. I nod at him and then wrap my arms around Marina, closing my eyes. I'm so relieved and happy but so confused.

During this time, there's no more sign of the voice.

Xxx

John

"Sam! Duck!"

My best friend falls to the floor as a stream of mog fire races towards us. Instead of diverting the stream, I absorb it, letting it flow around my body until I'm a human fireball. Mogs around me begin to back off as I charge towards them, needing nothing else to kill them.

We're in West Virginia, looking for Six's chest. We tried to follow the vague instructions Five gave us before she was captured but so far we haven't found anything. However, there aren't as many mogs here as we thought they'd be; they're probably all where Nine is. He's the bigger threat.

"John! This way!" I look towards Six and see her run down a smaller corridor heading into the outskirts of the base. I follow at once, Sam soon catching up.

"Do you think they found Five?" I ask Six as we jog down the hallway, occasionally shooting a mog here and there. Six frowns.

"I hope so... it doesn't matter; she's tough and can look after herself" she says, swerving round the corner. I nod and look back to see if Sam's ok. He's running backwards, shooting a stream of bullets towards the mogs that are chasing after us. I run back to him and grab him, throwing him over my shoulder.

"Sorry, but you're too slow" I say, racing back to Six. Sam grumbles but doesn't struggle against me.

After racing down some more corridors and finally losing track of the mogs, we slow down to catch our breath. I look down this hall and see some glass walls instead of the normal concrete. Six and I share a quick glance, and then move down the corridor without saying a word.

We reach the strange room with glass walls and look in. Inside, sitting on a pedestal, is Six's chest. She whoops and runs into the room, running to get it at once. I follow, a grin on my face. It's about time she found her chest; it's her inheritance after all.

"It's been so long" Six whispers, running her fingers over the smooth wood. I look closer but the chest is closed.

"Why did they close it?" I ask, nervously suspecting a trap. Six pales and takes a step back, her small moment of happiness long forgotten.

"Number Four?"

I turn at once, my gun in front of me, expecting an attack. Six and Sam are just as prepared, guns ready to shoot. A man stands in the middle of the room, his hands in the air as he watches us nervously. He's around 30 with a muscular build but the way he looks at us makes me realise he knows _exactly_ what we're capable of.

"Who are you?" I demand, walking over to him. He pales but stands his ground.

"Agent Johnson, with the FBI" he answers, showing us his badge that was clutched in his hand. Six snorts and comes closer, Sam trailing her nervously.

"That's not going to win points with us" she says, staring at the man confused. He nods and gulps.

"I need to talk to you in private, away from all of this" he says, motioning around us. I shake my head.

"So you can kill us? Right, of course, lead the way" I say sarcastically. Johnson shakes his head quickly, still terrified of us.

"The Government needs to talk to you, not just the FBI" he says. Six frowns as though seriously contemplating things but then she shakes her head.

"No way. You can take that offer and-" she threatens but the man interrupts.

"I know where Number Five is being held" he says. I lunge forward and grab his arm, pulling him to me. I press the gun to his throat, not liking his games anymore. Mogs will be coming soon and he's just playing with us.

"I swear...i'm telling...the truth" the man wheezes out between my strong grip on his throat. Six grabs my arm and pulls me off him easily, glaring at me. She holds her sword up to Johnson's neck but doesn't do anything else.

"Where is she?" I hiss. We need Five to win this war; she can't die. Also, Nine has been acting weird lately and I think it's linked to Five's disappearance. If getting her back means he's on best form, then I'll do what I can.

"In Dulce. They're building something there for her... I don't know what. Setrakus Ra, he wants you there to see it. That's all I know, I swear!" he begs. I sigh as Six pulls her sword away nodding.

"What else do you know?" she asks, realising this guy is actually quite important. He swallows and is about to talk about when there's a gunshot and he slumps forward, dead.

"Dammit!" I yell as more bullets race towards us. I divert some with telekinesis as Six leaps into battle, easily killing off the mogs. It's incredible to watch her fight; it's strangely beautiful. Every swing of her sword means death for the mogs; her skill is undeniable.

We eventually manage to make it out of the base after much more fighting and shooting. I kill blindly, only sure that it's mogs that i'm killing. I stab, shoot, fire... I do everything I can in order to win. I'm vaguely aware of Sam keeping up with us, clutching Six's chest but fighting is all I can really think about.

We reach the outskirts of the base, sweat covering us all. I look around for more mogs but instead I see Nine crouching nearby, blood staining his clothes. Marina and Eight are talking next to him, in their own little world. I walk over quickly, Six clutching my hand whilst Sam follows.

"Hey, you guys ok?" I ask and then stop. In the grass, next to Nine is an incredibly gorgeous girl, a human girl. I stare at her shocked and so does Six, not sure what to make of this.

"This is Cassie" Nine says, breathing quickly.

"Can we trust her?" Six asks, her eyes narrowed as she takes in Cassie. Nine nods quickly, scooping the girl into his arms as he stands up. Marina and Eight shakily get to their feet, both of them visibly shaken.

"We need to get out of here and figure out where Five is" Nine says, looking around warily or more potential mogs.

"We know where Five is, Dulce" I say. Nine lights up at once and grins, happy to know where Five is.

There's the sound of distant shouting coming from the base and as if prearranged, we run into the trees, away from the base.

Xxx

Adam

"Come on! Let me out!" I shout, banging my fists against the doors.

They can't hear me of course; the door is sound-proof. Yet I still continue to throw myself against the door, desperation fuelling me. I need to help Five.

Instead of chucking me in a cell and torturing me every day, the mogs decided to make things worse for me. They've locked me in a furnished room with a screen in the centre of the wall, like a TV. Every day for god knows how many hours there's a constant show of them torturing Five and there's nothing I can do about it. Her screams haunt my sleep at night.

"This is cruel! She's only 16!" I shout, grabbing a chair and chucking it across the room. It slams into the windows but they're made out of bullet-proof glass; it won't smash and trust me, I've tried.

"Argh!" I scream, punching the wall. The plaster cracks and my knuckles start to bleed but I smile. I'm stronger now than before.

There's the sound of a door unlocking and I grab my roughly made weapon, a chair leg sharpened to be like a stake. I advance on the door and when it finally opens, I swing for my enemy.

Setrakus easily grabs my 'weapon' and tosses it into the corner, backhanding me in the process. I crash into a table but am on my feet again when I freeze. He's got Five by the throat, a gun pressed to her temple. The intent is clear: _stop or she'll die. _Her eyes stare at me, wide and terrified.

I stop moving and Five is tossed to the floor, landing awkwardly because of her tied up wrists behind her back. She's been gagged but I can see the fear and anger in her eyes well enough. I fall to my knees next to her and help her sit up, making sure I'm between her and Setrakus.

"Have fun catching up" he snarls, marching outside the door again. Before I have the chance to try and escape, the door is slammed shut and the locks put in place. I groan but turn to Five, untying the gag from around her mouth.

"Those bastards" I mutter, moving to untie the thick rope around her wrists. Guessing by the state she's in, she's too weak to break such a simple material. I push the ropes off her and help her to the bed, my heart stopping at the horrific marks and scars all over her body.

"It's worse than it looks" she mutters weakly, looking away from my appalled eyes. I glare and tilt her chin up, making her look me in the eyes.

"Nine will come. He'll kill them all for what they've done to you" I say angrily. I'll help him. However, my reaction will be nothing compared to Nine's when he sees her. He will literally go mad and the thought makes me thrilled.

Five smiles at the mention of Nine and leans into me, tired from the abuse she's suffered. She sighs against my neck; I imagine she's glaring. She probably wishes Nine were here instead of me but I know any familiar presence will be a comfort to her.

"Why are they doing this? Why are they keeping us here?" she asks, her voice filled with fear. I shake my head, wrapping my arms around her, in a friendly way of course.

"I don't know, Five. I really don't know" I say, stroking her hair. She begins to cry and then I know something's really wrong. Five _never _cries.

"I'm scared Adam" she whispers, closing her eyes. I look at her concerned; the mogs have broken something in Five and her fighting spirit has completely vanished. Fear starts to fill me and I look her in the eyes urgently.

"I know, but Nine _will_ come. Don't give up!" I beg, my heart falling when I see her eyes stare blankly back at me.

"They're going to kill us Adam... there's nothing anyone can do" she says, her voice so low I only just make it out.

"Wait, what?" I ask, shocked by this turn of events. I know the mogs try and kill us in battle but this is a different scenario.

"Setrakus, he's planning something. They're going to kill us for real. He can't wait any longer for information that we could give" she says, lying back down on the bed in resignation. This is why she's given up; we'll be killed before the others can save us.

"Just sleep, we'll talk about this later" I persuade her, my mind still reeling. She barely nods, already half-asleep, exhausted from the past few days. I walk over to the window and peer out at the familiar surroundings I've memorised.

We're in Dulce again. Desert stretched out as far as I can see, the destroyed remains of the old base dotted around. The mogs built this new base again from scratch; apparently they like this area. I can see something being built in the distance, almost like an arena but I shake it off. What would it be for?

There's a small almost scraping sound and I whirl towards the door, holding my breath. I relax at once when I see a piece of paper being pushed under by someone. I walk over and tug it out, pulling it up so I can read it.

It's a flyer, advertising something. I furrow my brow in confusion; why would they advertise something with us? There's a picture of an arena on the paper and chills start to flood through me. I look closer and read the writing to see what the writing says.

_An event you'll never forget!_

I begin shaking as I look out of the window again at the semi-built arena in the distance. There are hundreds of those things in Mogadore, holding events such as fighting, racing and executions. The Loric may have contributed much towards Earth: Stonehenge, the Greek Gods and more but so did the Mogadorians. Gladiators and other cruel sports in ancient civilisations were introduced by the mogs.

_Executions._

I begin to shake properly now as my stomach begins clenching uncomfortably. I can feel myself sweating as I look outside for the final time.

Oh Lorien, help us.

Five and I_ will_ be killed after all; she was right all along. And we won't get a small death with a quick gun-shot or blow to the head. It will be a long drawn out death as a source of entertainment for the mogs.

We'll have to fight each other till death in the arena.

* * *

**Uh oh, who's Cassie? And it looks like the agents are trying to get through to the Loric... oh yeah and also that bit about Adam and Five being executed. That will be fun :D**

**Question: If you were stranded on a desert island (sorry, not original), which Garde would you have and why?**

**Please review!**


	49. Chapter 49

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...**

**Hi guys!**

**Thank you all sooooo much for the reviews! I love them and they're so supportive and kind! I really appreciate them!**

**Btw, if you haven't already, you have to check out 'The Strength of Seven' by the Last of the Loric. Such an amzing story and deserves lots of reads and reviews! Trust me, it's not a waste of time!**

**Also, PinkPastelAttic I'm considering doing a Five/Adam one-shot for you in my other story but not in this one. I think Nine/Five have enough problems...**

**Ok, another thing :( I won't be updating for a week since I have so much work to do and I need to get back on track. I'm taking the next week off just to re-organise myself and stuff. I promise the next update will be next Wednesday :D**

**Finally, please don't hate me after this chapter!**

* * *

Marina

"You need to be more careful in future" I say softly, dabbing at Eight's cheek with a wet cloth. He's got a lot of dried blood of his face which I'm cleaning up. I suppose he could do it himself but I said I'd do it instead. My emotions are still running high from his near-death.

"I didn't want to almost die" he replies, his voice low. Even though we have the motel room to ourselves, we still feel as though we should be quiet. I sigh and rinse the cloth in a bowl on the bedside table, the water becoming darker red the more I wash it.

"I know... I was just so worried. I thought I might lose you" I say, wiping his forehead and pushing the curls from his face. He catches my hand and looks at me as though to confess something. There's a miserable look in his eyes that concerns me.

"Marina, I heard a voice... when I was dying. It was telling me not to give up, not to stop fighting" he admits. I look at him carefully, seeing the worry in his eyes. He probably thinks he's going mad but I know he's not.

"It might have been your Elder, communicating with you. The Cepans said that was likely to happen soon... that the part of them alive in us would help us" I say, gently cleaning his cheek again. He looks down, his long eyelashes brushing his cheek.

"Do you think? I hope so... I thought I was going mad" he says, looking relieved but still troubled. I tilt his face up, searching his eyes.

"Something else is bothering you" I say. He smiles slightly, nodding.

"You know me too well" he says but he doesn't continue. I hold his hands in mine, stroking the skin with my thumb. He smiles absently, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear that had fallen onto my cheek.

"That's your nervous habit, always pushing your hair back... but it never stays" he says, as though memorising everything about me. I nod, both of us smiling when the one strand comes loose again.

"You're trying to distract me" I accuse. He shrugs and pulls a cheeky grin that suits his personality so well. However, it seems broken and distant. He seems different today and I don't like it.

It sort of scares me.

"It's clearly not working. I'll have to try harder" he says. He leans forward and catches my lips with his, pulling me close to him. His lips are hard and fast against mine, showing a deep desperation that didn't match his earlier mood. I kiss him back, slightly overwhelmed by the passion he's showing. It's almost as though he thinks this is our last kiss and is making it a good one. I pull away before he can really get into it, wanting to know what's bothering him.

"Eight, what's going on?" I ask. He sighs and looks away, unsure of what to say. I take his hand, trying to offer support.

"I... I had another dream, just now" he admits. The first thing we did when we got here was sleep; he must have had it then. He told me of the dream with the elders he got the day before he rescued me. It's haunted him for some reason and he can't stop thinking about it.

"What was it about?" I ask softly, looking earnestly into his face. He gets up and paces away, his arms crossed defensively.

"Precognition. I think I saw the last battle of Lorien" he says, turning away from me slightly. I stand up too, staring at him confused and worried. He looks at me, his eyes showing deep pain.

"Not everyone survived" he whispers. My breath stops and I stare at him alarmed, my heart hammering. We can't lose one of us, we simply can't.

"Who died?" I ask, even though I already have an idea. Why else would he be so distant?

"I didn't see everyone, just a couple of blurry bodies. And-" he breaks off, his face working in pain.

"Me" I whisper, fear racing through me. I don't want to die. Eight nods weakly, his eyes focused somewhere else.

"It doesn't mean anything! I might have been unconscious or healing myself or-" I protest but he shakes his head. Cold heavy dread settles in my stomach; I'm going to die for Lorien.

Only the strong survive.

And I'm not strong enough.

"Is there any way you could have been wrong?" I whisper. He shakes his head, tears on his eyelashes. We have limited time together now; we have to spend it preciously.

"Oh god..." I whisper, my voice choked. "Oh god, I don't want to die" I whisper, tears forming in my eyes as my breathing picks up. Panic and fear is filling me and I feel like I'm about to break apart. I need Eight.

I reach out for his hand but he jerks it away, closing his face off. I stare at him confused as he takes a deep breath.

"Marina...I think... I think we should break up" he whispers. My heart stops in my chest and I stare at him stunned and terrified.

No, he can't do this.

"Why?! We love each other!" I say desperately, tears forming in my eyes. He closes his own as a spasm of pain crosses his face. I _know_ he loves me!

Deep down, I know why he's doing this. If I _am _going to die, then he wants as little pain as possible. He thinks breaking up with me is the best way to protect himself because our feelings will disappear. But he's wrong... isn't he?

"I can't do this Marina... don't make me do this" he whispers, his voice broken. Tears are streaming down both of our faces. Could we really have been kissing only five minutes ago?

The worst thing is the signs that I simply ignored when I shouldn't have. Ever since he woke up he's been distant and sad. It makes my blood run cold to think that for the past hour he's been planning this.

"This is bullshit!" I yell, my frustration making me angry and bold. Eight looks up in shock and then crosses his arms.

"I don't want to hurt anymore! I can't be with you and know our days are numbered! It will kill me! It's killing me now!" he yells, the pain clear in his eyes. I stare at him and then head to the door, needing to talk to Six. I can feel my steady calm dropping, breaking around me. I'm close to breaking down and I don't want to do it in front of him.

"I never thought you as cruel, Eight" I say bitingly as I leave the room, the tears beginning to roll down my cheeks.

Xxx

I lie under the covers of the camp bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Nearby I can hear Six and John talking under their breath but I don't want to focus, don't want to listen. They're in a _perfect_ relationship whereas mine has just finished.

I can't believe it's over.

"Cup of tea?" I look up as Six offers me a mug, concern on her face. I hear the distant shutting of a door and I realise John will have gone to see Eight, to see if he's ok. I sit up and take the mug, wrapping my hands around the warmth.

"How do you feel"? Six asks, sitting down on the bed near me. I shrug, taking a sip of the scalding liquid. The burn on my tongue makes me wince but it's good to feel something. I've just been feeling numb up till now.

"I hate him" I mutter, my voice still thick from my first flood of tears. Six reaches out and takes my hand, nodding her head.

"He'll come to his senses" she soothes me, knowing I was lying. When I had first knocked on her door, my body wracked with sobs, she had thought we'd been attacked. But she'd been almost frozen with shock when I'd told her the truth.

"You guys are so solid, this is just something that's gotten out of hand" Six says, smiling kindly at me. I shake my head at her; I thought we were secure too but I was obviously wrong.

"I'm going to die Six and he doesn't want to hurt more than possible. After what happened with Reynolds... I can sort of understand why he's doing this" I whisper. She already knows everything but she refuses to believe it's true.

"You're not going to die! Eight is being pathetic and giving up! Don't listen to him!" she says, anger in her voice. I know she's in two minds to march over to Eight and lecture him on why he's being stupid. I wouldn't be surprised if she dragged him over here to apologise to me.

"You don't need him Marina. You're a strong Loric, screw him!" she tells me, trying the pep talk, now her persuasion talk for us to get back together hasn't worked. I can't help but smile a little at her tone of voice.

"Show him what he's missing" I joke weakly, hiccupping from the tears. Six nods and clasps my hand, looking me right in the eyes.

"He'll regret it, trust me. In the meantime, you need to be yourself and grow on your own. You don't need a guy to be happy" she says. I smile weakly and nod.

"How many post-breakups talks have you given? You're just like a pro" I ask her, sniffing. She smiles and comes over to wrap her arm around my shoulder, hugging me.

"I know it hurts... it'll get better. And trust me, you won't die" she says. I nod and try to look positive but I can't. The truth is, I will always love Eight, no matter how cliché it is. And I know he loves me, he just doesn't want to hurt more than possible. And on top of all this drama, the threat of my death is hanging over me.

I feel like any day now, I'm going to snap.

Xxx

Nine

I stretch out in bed, the light streaming in through the window. My body aches pleasantly from the fighting yesterday but I don't mind. Pain doesn't bother me. I groan and roll over, not wanting to get up but knowing I must. In half an hour's time, we're going to plan what to do next.

I know what I want to do: get Five. She's all that matters to me.

"Good morning" I lift my head and see the human girl, Cassie, step into the room. She's only wearing a towel with her wet hair falling down her back.

I'm not sure what made me persuade the others to let her stay. Maybe it's the fact that she reminds me of Maddy and I'll always have a weak spot for human girls who can't protect themselves. Maybe it's because she's drop dead gorgeous and I also have a weakness for pretty faces.

"Morning" I reply, swinging out of bed, dressed only in my customary sweats. Her eyes linger on me, causing me to smirk at her. She blushes and turns away, focusing on grabbing some clothes.

I brush past her as I head to the bathroom and I feel her tense at my close presence. I smirk again as I enter the bathroom and shut the door, about to shower. I'm not really interested in Cassie romantically but she would make an excellent distraction from everything _and_ she would make Five so jealous. I can just imagine the look of anger on Five's face.

I know it seems petty in this time of war, but the thought of Five fighting for me makes me grin as I wash my hair. I close my eyes and imagine her in my mind: slender body, dark eyes, thick hair... I shake my head at the pang of pain that races through me. I _have_ to save her.

If that bastard hurts her, I swear I'll end his life.

I step out of the shower and dry off, pulling on some clean clothes in the process. I walk back into the bedroom and see Cassie dressed in jeans and a shirt on the bed. She smiles timidly at me and I grin back at her, my more confident side taking over.

"How was your sleep?" I ask, sitting back on the bed, waiting for the others. They'll be here in ten minutes. She blushes, her eyes flicking to meet mine every now and then.

"Good, thank you. It was nice to sleep in a bed for once" she says. Pity washes through me as I imagine the hell she's been through recently.

"Don't worry, you won't go there again" I reassure her, moving closer. With a sudden surge of confidence, I take her hand. She smiles at me, her eyes meeting mine.

"Thanks for saving me" she says, her voice soft. I swallow and look away, slightly confused by my thoughts. Do I actually like her?

"You're welcome. Couldn't let you stay there" I reply. She shakes her head.

"Yes, you could have, if it meant your safety. But you didn't leave me" she says. I shrug and look back at her, noticing the boldness in her eyes. She got over her shyness quickly and I sort of like this new confidence in her.

"Well, I do like a damsel in distress" I tease. She laughs and then leans forward, getting pretty close to me. I can smell the perfume she used; a pleasant smell.

"And I like a superhero" she replies. Before I can reply, she leans forward and kisses me. I'm so shocked that I don't react until she pulls away, her cheeks flushed.

"Sorry, I-" she begins but I lean in and kiss her again. The kiss is soft and nice but Five's kisses are better. Yet I still find myself pulling her closer and kissing her deeply. We continue to kiss one another, wrapping arms around the other and tangling hands into hair.

"Nine! Let us in!" I pull away, dazed, as the others pound on the door again. Cassie stares at me, her pale cheeks flushed and her green eyes alight with mischief. I press a small kiss to her lips and whisper 'later' in her ear. She laughs and nods as I head to the door.

I'm not sure what I've just done and whether this will just be fun or the potential for the end of Five and I. The kiss was good, great even, but nothing like Five's. I still love Five and she'll always be the one for me, that i'm certain of.

So why did I just kiss her?

"Patience is a virtue" I say as I open the door. John, Eight and Sam wait outside. Sam had been staying with Cassie and I last night but had sneaked out after a while, wanting better company apparently.

"Dude, you look like shit" I say bluntly to Eight. He looks like he's been up all night and there are bags under his eyes. The worst thing is the look of utter misery on his face. Tellingly, Marina is not nearby.

"Really not the time" he mutters, pushing past me. He walks over to a chair and slumps in it, putting his head in his hands. John and Sam enter and then I shut the door, looking curiously at Eight.

"What happened? A lovers tiff?" I tease, crossing my arms. John shakes his head quickly and comes to stand next to me, about to tell me the problem.

"Marina and I broke up" Eight says flatly, getting there before John can. I stare at him stunned; Marina and Eight seemed solid! What the hell happened?!

"Um, why?" I ask as Eight looks up, pain clear in his eyes. If it hurts so damn much, why doesn't he go back out with her?

"None of your business" I turn around and see Six and Marina by the door, both glaring. Wow, not a welcome sight for the morning. Eight looks at Marina but she doesn't even acknowledge his presence, sweeping past him without blinking. Guessing by how pissed off she seems, I'm guessing he dumped her.

Ouch, that's gotta hurt.

"Right, well, let's decide what to do" Sam suggests, sensing the awkwardness in the room. He pulls out his phone and passes it around, an address on the screen.

"Henri sent this to us yesterday. That's where they're staying" he says. I look at the address and whistle.

"California. Damn, we can-" I begin to say but John interrupts me.

"We're there to train, not whatever you were thinking of" he says. I grin at him and he rolls his eyes, a smile playing on his lips.

"We also need to rescue Five. She's being held in Dulce which must have been rebuilt after our attack" Marina says, pointedly ignoring Eight's sad eyes on her. Seriously, he dumped her yet he's acting like the injured one!

"I agree. Five and Adam are our priority" Six backs up. I nod, also desperate to get Five back.

"So we'll aim to get there today?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"Yep, if we leave now, we can make it" Six says. That's our cue to get ready and go.

Six and John leave at once, Sam trailing to get their stuff from their room whilst Eight awkwardly stays behind. Marina walks past him and he catches her wrist as though to ask her for a word. She pulls her wrist away and sends him a glare so fierce, it's hard to believe that it's Marina and not some evil twin. He backs off and she leaves the room, hurrying in her haste to go. I whistle and shake my head.

"Why the hell did you break up?" I ask, shutting the door with telekinesis as I begin to pull my stuff together. Eight sighs and looks forlornly out the window.

"It's complicated" he says. I laugh and shrug.

"So? I can keep up" I try and persuade him but he shakes his head.

"I can barely keep up myself" he says and then disappears, teleporting into another room. I sigh and grin at Cassie, who's also packing a little.

"Road trip, huh? Haven't done one in a while" she says, putting her hands on her hips. I grin and lean forward, pulling her to me.

"Does this count as 'later'?" I ask greedily, ignoring her earlier comment. She laughs but leans up, closer to me.

"I suppose it could" she says, leaning in to kiss me.

I was right, she's a _very_ good distraction.

Xxx

John

I'm dreaming.

Yet I'm totally aware of my surroundings. It's strange, it's like my spirit is being pulled out of me, whilst I can only watch. I look down on the car, seeing my body sleeping peacefully whilst Nine drives and the others talk amongst themselves.

Then, I'm whisked off. I'm travelling at a speed I've never travelled before, flying through the air. It's exhilarating and terrifying as I pass over American states in seconds. I'm about to properly panic and try to stop this dream, when my ghost-like body comes to a stop.

I'm in a desert, Dulce. I can see a couple of buildings that have been rebuilt and a huge pile of rubble in one corner. In the distance, I see a silhouette, almost like a stadium. But why would that be here?

Suddenly, my body is dragged away again. I pass through thick concrete walls and floors until I come to a final stop in a long corridor. It's like an old fashioned prison containing cells with thick doors with small grills. I find myself walking to one door and passing through, as though it was nothing.

It's a horrible cell, right in the depths of the base. We must be deep underground because there's a cold damp feel to it. The walls are made of thick rock and this must have been an old prison once. These must be the only cells available for the agents to put prisoners in until the whole base has been built again.

Five's in the cell, standing by a certain wall. She's tugging on something and when I have a closer look, I see a nail protruding from the wall. She grunts as she pulls on it one last time and it comes out, the point as sharp as a knife. A weapon.

She grins to herself and then there's a clanging noise from down the corridor. She freezes and then sprints to the small mat, throwing herself down on it and then stills, as though she's asleep. I wait for what's to come.

The door opens and the worlds' ugliest mog enters. It grins when it sees Five 'asleep' and walks over, crouching by the mat. I watch as it chuckles to itself as it reaches out and runs a hand over Five's hair. I want to run forward and kill it but I can't. I can only watch.

Quick as a flash, Five spins round and stabs the mog in the throat with the nail. It jerks back in shock but before it can scream for help, she snaps its neck. I'm amazed by her efficiency at killing. The sword that the mog had been wearing clatters on the floor and Five grabs it, a wild grin on her face.

She leaps up and runs for the door, racing out into the hallway. She runs to the door opposite and I see Adam inside. He looks up when he sees her outside, trying to unlock the door. Already I can hear more soldiers coming and I will her to run; we need her to escape.

"Go Five!" Adam shouts, waving her off. She takes one long look of pain at him and then races off down the corridor. I follow her as she slices into mogs that are in her way, sprinting up sets of stairs in the process.

After five minutes of running and killing, she bursts out into a courtyard. The sun beats down and bakes the earth but Five smiles, admiring the light. There's shouting as mog soldiers recognise her and she's off again, sprinting up an emergency fire ladder along the side of a building. I don't understand her tactic until I realise there was no way she would have left that courtyard.

Five finally reaches the roof and I watch, tense with suspense, as she runs to the edge and peers over. Mog troops are milling around on the ground, waiting for her to jump or start fighting. She looks around with increasing horror as she realises she can't escape. I want to run forward and grab her, taking her with me but I know I can't.

However, there's a small building opposite and if Five is lucky, she can reach it and run inside, evading her pursuers for a while longer. I see her quick brain work as she analyses the potential. I hear more mogs clattering up the stairs to attack her and she steels herself. She knows she has to live.

As the fisrt mogs burst onto the roof and charge for Five, she takes a deep breath and turns away. She sprints away from them and towards the huge gap between the two buildings.

_NO!_ I scream in my head but she can't hear me.

She won't make it. She's not strong enough.

Five bends her legs and jumps.

xxx

I sit up in the car, sweating and shouting. Six has a hold of me and is shaking me, but I can't get the image of Five falling out of my head. I feel the car swerve into a lay-by and then someone slaps me, making me stop shouting. I stare at Six in shock because she just hit me.

"What the hell Johnny!" Nine shouts, turning to look at me, annoyed and concerned. I'm panting and I need to get air. I burst out of the car, running my hands through my hair as I pace around.

"Five... we need to get to her... Five" I mutter until Nine grabs me and stops me. The others have gotten out of the car too and watch me. I shake my head and clear my thoughts.

"Five jumped off a roof" I say. Nine's face pales so suddenly I think he might faint. His grip on me tightens and his eyes widen with fear.

"What happened?!" he demands, his voice sharp.

I quickly explain to them what I saw, still shaking. Seeing the utter hopelessness of Five's situation was torture. Nine becomes more and more agitated as my tale goes on and Six's scowl increases. When I finish, there's a small silence.

"She's not dead" Marina finally says. Nine turns to her in outrage.

"She jumped off a roof!" he yells,

"We would have had a scar by now if she died" Eight reminds us, a calm presence. I nod and begin to calm down but Nine is still agitated and pacing.

"But she must be injured or dying! Why would she do that?" he shouts, despair tight on his face.

"So that she wouldn't be awake for the drug to work. She knew that if she was unconscious for a long time, the drug wouldn't work. She basically saved us" Marina says, her eyes filled with worry. I nod and take a deep breath, needing to calm down.

"Setrakus will probably heal her" Sam says. I look at him sharply.

"But Five can't heal and she's his heir" I say. Six steps forward, agreeing with Sam.

"Yes but the heir of the original Elder, not the one we know today. Somehow he got those extra powers and healing is one of them" she says. I sigh and cross my arms, taking in our surroundings.

"How far as we from Dulce?" I ask as we get back in the car.

"Normally, two hours. Today, half that" Nine says, starting the car and speeding down the road.

Xxx

Three

Third time lucky.

Lucky number three.

Three is supposed to be a lucky number. Yet if it's so lucky, why did I die?

I'm standing on a stretch of beach in California, late in the evening. There are small groups of teenagers nearby, drinking and chilling on the beach. I would do anything to be one of them, to be normal. To be someone cool and funny, someone with a girlfriend, someone with a future.

Instead i'm an alien from another planet, who is being hunted.

I walk deeper into the sea, the waves lapping around my knees now. Nobody's watching me and I could easily jump into the water, dive down and stay there for as long as possible. No one would care.

"Three?" I turn and see Ella standing on the beach, her red hair shining in the sunset. I smile at her, putting on the cheerful personality that suits me well.

"You coming in? Papa says we shouldn't separate" she says. I grimace at that. I know we're not as strong as the others who have gone to get Six's chest yet I can't help but think I'm capable of spending an hour by myself without dying.

"Later" I reply. I turn around again and watch the sun touch the edge of the sea, making a picturesque scene from a movie. I hear a small splashing noise and then Ella is next to me, taking a hold of my hand.

"Please? I like to know we're all safe" she whispers. I sigh but nod, hating seeing those big brown eyes plead with me.

"What do they want us in for?" I ask. Hopefully not more training. We've been in this house a day and yet I'm sure I've done more training than ever before. They're strict and since none of the others are here, the Cepans' attention is focused entirely on us three: Two, Ella and I.

"We're going through some documents to see which Elders we might be" she says, excited. I try not to roll my eyes; i'm in a terrible mood. I muster a smile and she grins back, cute dimples appearing in her cheeks.

"You already know who your Elder is though" I say, still conscious of her small hand in mine. She shrugs as we walk back up the path to the house. It's a nice place, roomy and big with a great garden. Perfect for training.

"I know, but still it's an exciting topic" she says. It amazes me how positive she always is and it makes me feel bad, like I should cheer up more.

"There you are!" I look up and see Two standing by the porch of the house. I can't help but notice how her eyes linger on Ella's and mine interlocked ones and I pull mine away, blushing. I like Ella but I don't want to hurt Two's feelings.

"He was sulking down by the beach" Ella giggles. Two laughs along and I try not to glare but smile instead. I wish there were some guys here, like Adam. We get on great and I miss him loads. We've hung out non-stop since my restoration and I hope he's ok.

"I wasn't sulking... I was being thoughtful" I protest, entering the house. Inside, the Cepans are sat around a table, reading the documents. I don't understand a word since it's in Loric.

"Suuure" Ella says, drawing out the word. I ruffle her hair since she's shorter than me and she bats my hand away, laughing. Two looks on enviously but I pretend I don't notice.

"Right, now you're all here..." Sandor says, giving me a pointed look. "We have some stuff to go through". He hands out a sheet to us. On it is the name of our Loric Elder and a list of potential legacies. I focus closer on mine, curious and excited.

_Tullia._

"How come my Elder was a girl!" I protest. Ella giggles and Crayton grins.

"Don't worry, Five is Setrakus' heir. It can't get much worse than that" he reassures me. I nod and scan the rest of the page.

_Telekinesis  
Light Manipulation  
Sound Manipulation  
Shield_

"Wait, I only have four legacies" I protest, looking up at Henri. He shrugs apologetically.

"Sorry, we don't know them all. Those are the only ones we have on record. You'll probably get at least three or four more. The same with everyone else" he replies. I nod in relief, scanning the legacies. They sound pretty good.

"Light and sound manipulation?" I ask. Sandor grins, drinking from his martini glass.

"A great distraction. You can create high sounds that can destroy eardrums or make flashing lights that will blind the mogs. Great legacies to have" he says. I grin and the peer across to Ella's sheet.

_Loridas._

_Telekinesis  
Telepathy  
Power Absorption_

"What's power absorption?" Ella and I ask at the same time. We both grin at each other and I see Two frown.

"The ability to take any legacy possible. So Ella could have any legacy she wants if she masters her legacy properly. But she can only take three at a time and she will only have it for a limited time" Crayton explains, smiling proudly at Ella. She blushes at my look of wonder.

"So technically, you're going to be like a mini Pittacus" I summarise. Ella giggles and grins smugly at me.

"Beats light manipulation" she teases. I laugh and shake my head.

"Yeah but if no one lets you take our legacies, then you have nothing" I retort. She grins good-humouredly as Two begins to look at her own paper. I peer over her shoulder nosily.

_Briseïs_

_Telekinesis  
Shield  
Healing_

"Awesome, you have healing like Marina and John!" Ella exclaims. At the sound of Marina's name I blush a little; I still have a small crush on her, but fortunately it's starting to fade. It was more of a worship kind of crush than a logical one; she already has a boyfriend.

"Well, I've already got my shield legacy so I wonder when the others will come... and what the rest will be" Two muses. I know the feeling; I still don't have any and am the only Garde without any. It feels horrible, like I'm behind.

"Maybe a month, maybe a week. It depends" Henri says, smiling kindly at me. He knows how disappointed I feel.

"Don't worry, you'll get your legacies soon" Ella reassures me, smiling sweetly at me. I nod, trying to put on a brave face.

The truth is without any legacies, I'm useless. I need my legacies as soon as possible, otherwise my resurrection will be for nothing. I need my legacies fast.

We're running out of time.

* * *

**So, please don't kill me for making 7/8 break up... or Nine kissng someone else... or maybe just killing off Five... :D I promise you'll like the outcome :)**

**Question: Which Loric upbringing would you have loved to have? (or chosen out of all of them?)**

**So please review... even if you hate me!**


	50. Chapter 50

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...**

**Hi guys!**

**So, not much hate, even with all the romantic drama going on! I know I'm so cruel :D Anyway, thank you all soooo much to take the time to review, even if you're not happy with 7/8s break-up. I really appreciate every review and I love hearing feedback. Thank you all sooo much!**

**Now, you may hate me now... but next chapter there might just be something that you'll all love... but you'll have to guess!**

**So, yeah thank you all so much for waiting for this update and I have most of my college/high school work sorted out :D **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Six

Nine stops the car, jumping out at once, his muscles twitching. I join him, grimacing as the sun beats down on us unbearably. The others eventually pile out, their eyes nervously examining our surroundings. The memories of the last time we were here are undoubtedly in everyone's minds.

I strap my sword to my belt and go to the boot of the car, opening it up. Inside, piled high, are massive guns, the best we could get as such short notice. I sling one of my back, handing another to Marina who has joined me. Ever since her shock break-up with Eight, she's become more focused on the war and it's amazing to watch the dedication in her. She's more independent now.

"You ready?" I ask her. She nods and smiles at me as she pulls the gun onto her back. Like me, she's carrying a sword.

"Are you?" she asks. I laugh and nod, chucking a couple of guns to the others. Weirdly, no troops or mogs have come to greet us; it's as though they want us to go somewhere specific.

"Where is everyone?" I ask, walking up to Nine and Eight. Nine shrugs, just as confused as me.

"No idea. Maybe you should scout it out" he suggests. I see John open his mouth to protest but I nod quickly.

"Eight? Do you want to come?" I ask, offering him my hand. If we get into any trouble, he can teleport us out of there. He nods and takes my hand, both of us turning invisible. The relief from the heat is immediate and I smile.

"We'll be ten minutes tops" I say. Nine nods as he and the others continue to watch the surroundings.

Eight and I walk quickly over the terrain, teleporting in short jumps here and there. I can see the base ahead with a weird stadium nearby but so far, I can't see any sign of the mogs.

"You're an absolute idiot" I inform Eight. He sighs as though he knew this was coming but he needs to hear it.

"I know" he replies. I want to throw my hands up in annoyance but I can't; that would give us away.

"Then why did you do it?!" I demand. He sighs again and I imagine he's biting his lip.

"Did it hurt when your Cepan died?" he asks. I jerk in shock. What a stupid question!

"Of course, it was horrible. I'll never get over it... but I can't see what-" I reply but he interrupts me.

"Yeah it hurts. It _kills_, it's that painful" he says. I wait, not sure where he's going with this.

"I love Marina more than I loved Reynolds, that's how much I care for her. Imagine knowing John would die" he says. I get an immediate flash of agony thinking about it and I start to see his point.

"She's going to die" he breaks off, emotion plain in his voice. "I can't be with her knowing that we won't always be together. I'm hoping that maybe my feelings will just go a little... so it won't hurt so much" he says. I squeeze his hand, not sure what to say.

"It's a hard situation" I finally say. He laughs bitterly.

"It's an impossible situation" he says. We've reached the outskirts of the base now so we both become quiet. I can't help but think of what I would do if I knew John would die. Like Eight, I would end things; it would be too much. People who have suffered for so long instinctively want to reduce as much pain as possible.

We creep around some of the rebuilt buildings but we can't see anything. No mogs, no agents. However, we can hear a faint roaring from the stadium almost like a match is going on and the crowd is cheering.

"Oh no, Six look at that" I look around, not sure what Eight is looking at until I see a small poster on a wall. I'm nervous; it's as though someone wants us to find it. We both walk over quickly, wondering what the hell is going on. We read the poster, my blood freezing when I realise exactly what's going on in that arena.

"Come on Eight!" I say, rushing back to the others. They're executing Adam and Five by putting them in an arena filled with Mogadores' animals.

To be eaten alive.

Eight obviously understands my need to rush because in seconds we've teleported back to the group. We turn visible and relate everything to the others. Nine turns more and more serious after each second until he's shaking with tension. Marina pales and I see Eight unconsciously reach out and hold her hand. She doesn't even push him off.

"Right, let's go" Nine demands, needing to leave as soon as possible. We all nod and grab our weapons, not even having time to fully prepare for this battle.

We race along the dunes, the sand scorching our skin and the sun baking us yet we have one goal; to get to Five and Adam. Fortunately, we have Cassie who's in a motel room a couple of hours away protecting our chests. Much to Nine's annoyance, Marina used mind control to order her not to leave the chests unmanned.

We finally reach the arena where the roar of the crowd is much louder, drowning out everything else. We look at the doors barring the stadium and Nine goes to kick them down when we hear a shot cough. We turn to see who's there though we all have a pretty good idea.

"Setrakus" Nine growls. He's been tense ever since we heard Five jumped off the roof.

"Coming to watch the little show?" Setrakus asks, smiling smugly at us all. I eye him nervously, not sure what he means. John looks as though he's trying to contact Pittacus but it can't be working.

"I swear, if you've hurt Five-" Nine threatens, extending his pipe staff but Setrakus laughs, not at all worried.

"You're little girlfriend? She's fine after her little tumble" Setrakus taunts. Girlfriend? What is he talking about? I see Nine blush slightly and Marina glance at him as though she knows something. I shove that thought to the back of my mind; I can think about it later.

"I guess you would like front row seats" he says. Before we can react, he points his hand out to all of us and then we're enveloped in darkness.

Xxx

Five

My hands are chained above my head, my arms stretched to the limit. I've been here for hours and have a horrible cramp that I can't get rid of. The sun's been beating down on us ever since we've been here and I see Adam suffering from terrible sunburn. My skin is slightly red; I'm more used to the sun but it still hurts.

I can hear the sound of the crowd as they wait eagerly for the monsters to come out and kill us. Originally, the plan had been for Adam and I to fight to the death but then Setrakus thought it would be more amusing to see us fight the mogs' animals.

Especially since our hands are chained to a pillar.

I hear the sound of a horn, meaning the animals will enter the arena. I try not to whimper and tug desperately on the chain but it won't give. I look to see some doors opening and a huge piken lumbers out, taking it's time. Yapping around its feet are krauls, here to eat our remains. I see Adam almost faint in horror but I try to keep calm.

I pull on the chain again, wondering if my hand will squeeze through the small bands. I groan as the blood starts to trickle down my arms as I continue to fight against the cuffs.

There's a small howling noise as the krauls smell my blood, sniffing for their pray. They race towards me, their teeth bared in a horrible grin. With a last final surge of strength, I jerk on my chain but it's not enough. One of the kraul bends to pounce at me.

I close my eyes and think of Nine.

I hear this sudden yelp and open my eyes, shocked by the sight in front of me. Nine is here; ripping through the krauls with a ferocity that shocks yet pleases me. It's like my mere thoughts brought him to me. I can see some of the others nearby, preparing to fight the other hundreds of krauls and the many more pikens coming through the gates.

Nine swings his staff like a bat and whacks one kraul on the head, sending it flying through the air. The first onslaught is over for now and he turns to me, his eyes filled with concern and anger. He runs over, inspecting the chain clasped round my wrists.

"Can you break it?" I gasp, desperate to get free and my muscles clenching in pain.

I can see more animals appear and there's nothing more horrible than being helpless against them all. Nine nods fiercely and snaps the cuffs with his super strength easily. Once the support has gone, my knees crumple and I would have fallen to the ground if Nine didn't pull me into his arms. I look over to see if Adam's ok and see Eight helping him walk, an arm wrapped around his back.

"We'll get you out of here" Nine mutters, his voice low and intense. I'm so weak I can barely manage a small moan. I haven't eaten in days and the abuse I've been put through is taking its toll on me.

"How is she?" Six asks as Nine reaches them. The animals are milling around us, so we're stuck in the middle. Adam and Eight have also joined us, Adam losing the battle and fainting. He's suffered far more than me in this extreme heat with no water.

"We need to get her out of here as quickly as possible" Nine murmurs, probably thinking I can't hear him. I close my eyes in exhaustion; I wish I had more strength to help them fight.

"Five? Don't sleep now" Nine pleads. I unwillingly open my eyes to glare at him and he cracks a grin, despite the fear in his eyes.

"There you are. Stay awake, please" he begs. I huff tiredly, my version of a yes. Nine understands and smiles at me.

"Guys, while this is sweet and all, we need to fight" Marina has come alongside us and takes my hand, concentrating on healing me. I feel that icy feeling race through my veins, making me moan without thinking. Yet as my more serious wounds heal up, I find energy returning to me. Once she's done, Marina looks more tired but I feel better.

I move to get out of Nine's arms and ignore his protests. I look around and see Six, Eight and John leading the attack on the animals. Setrakus is watching from his 'seat of honour' and he smirks at me when he sees me standing.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Nine asks me, looking concerned. I nod and smile at him, hating seeing him worried.

"I'll be fine" I reassure him. I grab a sword from him and then we race to fight the mogs, some of my energy having returned.

It's amazing to watch us fight. I haven't got my legacies due to that stupid drug but I'm still a decent fighter, slashing and stabbing pikens and kraul. Marina and I are on defence, protecting an unconscious Adam from the bloodthirsty animals.

Nine is amazing to watch, destroying the animals like no one else can. I think his anger at my treatment is a big help towards his fighting but whatever it is, he's incredible to watch. He uses his superspeed legacy to fool the stupid piken and then he leaps onto their necks, stabbing them at the weak point between the bottom of the skull and their neck.

Six is just as good, if not better (technique wise). She's invisible most of the time but I imagine the complex sequences she's doing in order to outwit the animals. They may not see her but they have a better sense of smell. Almost every couple of seconds there's a new explosion of ash that can only be caused by Six; she's killing more mogs than the rest of us.

Eight and John use their fire legacies to burn the animals. I admit, I don't like hearing the screams of pain but I have to admire what they're doing. I watch as Eight shoots a stream of fire towards a piken and it disintegrates in seconds. John lights himself up in fire and his mere presence kills the krauls and pikens.

Suddenly, something slams into me and I tumble to the ground, disorientated. I see a mog soldier on top of me and I realise Setrakus must have sent some troops down to deal with us. He raises his knife but before I can react, Marina comes up to me and stabs it in the back. She seems more determined, fiercer than she was before I was taken. Whatever this change is, it's good.

I stand up quickly and look around quickly. More mogs approach us and Marina and I stand back to back, deciding this is the best strategy as they surround us. They shoot at us but Marina focuses her telekinesis and manages to stop the bullets. A mog lunges for me but I stab it quickly before it can do the same to us.

I see the others have their own mogs to fight with yet are doing a hell of a lot better than I did. My excuse is that I've been tortured for days. More mogs lunge forward towards Marina and I but we manage to deal with it, despite getting hit a couple of times.

I stop and look around, realising we're done with our mogs. Six has reappeared and raises her hands, using her element legacy to create a mini earthquake. The huge stone pillars that Adam and I were ties to, fall and crush the mogs. I grin and am about to join the others when there's a long groan, like a building about to collapse. I feel the ground shift beneath me and I stare at Setrakus in horror, thinking he's doing this. He looks confused as I continue to wobble on the unsteady ground.

The ground begins to crumble away beneath Marina and I and with a last surge of strength, I manage to chuck Adam's body away from the danger zone. The ground opens up from under Marina and I, chunks of rock falling away. We both fall into the pit and I hear some of the others call our names out. I desperately scrabble for a handhold as we fall but there's nothing for me to grab.

I slam into the ground, pain streaking through my body.

I'm out in seconds.

Xxx

Marina

I groan as I lie on the ground, my body aching unbearably. I reach out and begin to heal myself, glad to have enough energy to do so. The horrible icy feeling runs through me but I continue to heal myself, ignoring the pain.

"Five?" I whisper. There's no response but I know she's alive; there's no scar. I reach out and take her hand, beginning to heal her as I analyse my surroundings.

I look up to see a small hole in the ceiling where the arena was, lighting the cavern with very little light. Fortunately I have night vision and can see perfectly. The room is huge and round, like the stadium above. There are a couple of rocks nearby that used to be the ground of the stadium but nothing else.

I can still hear the sounds of fighting from the others; they're too busy to help us. I know that I could float myself out but there's a pull in this cavern. There's something bigger at play here.

Clearly, Setrakus had no idea about this underground cavern. The mogs had simply assumed that the desert underneath the arena wasn't hollow.

I shake Five but she's not waking up at all. I frown as I consider the best way to get out of here when my wandering eyes catch a small change in the rock. I walk closer and gasp when I see a tunnel. My brain tells me to turn back, to run and stay with Five.

Yet my instincts want me to go on and see what's at the end of this tunnel. What if it's important? Also, ever since Eight ended things with me, I've tried to be as strong and dedicated to the cause as possible. Following this tunnel is a perfect way to continue my goal.

I hesitate once, looking back at Five but she's not waking up anytime soon. I've healed her but she's knocked out from the fall and the last couple of days of stress. I know more than anyone how much torture can take out of you.

I turn around and walk through the tunnel. Like the cavern, it's pitch black but my legacy beats that obstacle. I walk slowly down the rock passageway but nothing attacks me. There are small rocks along the ground, threatening to trip me up but I'm careful.

I'm not sure how long I walk for; it feels like at least ten minutes. There's absolutely no change but I _know_ this is right. There's a stronger pull the further I walk down and I begin to feel calm, peaceful. I begin to run, needing to get there. I'm not sure why but I _have_ to get there.

The tunnel lightens as I turn a corner and then the light hits me. I stumble back, my eyes adjusting to the light after the darkness. I blink quickly, wanting to see the source of the light. When I finally get to see properly, my mouth opens in shock.

It's a huge Loralite, possibly the one Eight teleported us to so long ago. I feel a flash of pain when I think back on those times when we were friends and things were so simple. I try to ignore him and think of this strange yet magical cave.

There are drawings surrounding the walls, exactly like the ones in India. Many of them I've seen before, Eight with the sword in him and Six at the school in Ohio. I approach the unknown pictures carefully, wondering if I'll see any images of me dying. I don't want to die but I have to accept my fate and do the best I can in the time given to me.

I look at one drawing and see a scene I recognise immediately. Chicago is on fire; this is a drawing of our recent battle in the city. I look on with amazement at the small details; John with a golden aura fighting Setrakus, Nine lying on the ground with Five hovering over him... everything is right.

I move onto the next scene and see an arena; just the scene I left. I move quickly on from those next scenes as they don't give away anything and move along till I reach another panel. It's a depiction of a battle at a place I've never seen before yet recognise at the same time.

John is the main object of the drawing, fighting Setrakus with a golden aura. It's not clear to see who is winning. I can see Nine and Six nearby, fighting other mogs. Five is nowhere to be seen and I feel a flash of fear; is she one of the blurry figures Eight talked about? I see a spot of brown and then gasp when I realise that it's my hair and I'm lying down, painted with red. Blood.

So, I _do_ die.

The strange thing is I don't feel that upset. Maybe I do die, but I'll go out with a bang. I don't want to leave so young but at the same time, it's worst for the survivors, the ones who will mourn the deaths.

I really am a coward.

I turn away from the drawing, my breathing quickening in distress, and my eyes land on another panel. There are four separate pictures in a peculiar layout. Three are at the top, in a row whilst the fourth is below them all with funny blue streaks connecting the two levels.

I study the three pictures closely and gasp when I see there's writing underneath, depicting what the picture is. I get chills looking at it and I realise this is the key to defeating Setrakus.

The first picture is of a stone table, with a person lying on it. There's another person standing above with a knife and blood dripping from it. Even without the writing, I can tell what this is. _Sacrifice. _Who will die to beat Setrakus? Five, who is his heir? Or John, who will die killing Setrakus?

Or me? Is it me?

I move onto the second picture. This one is also clear; a long silver sword, slightly curved. Even in the picture it's elegant and beautiful, clearly made from another world. This picture is more hopeful that the last and I read the writing, confirming what I already think. _The Sword of Pittacus_. However, there's no explanation of where it is.

The third picture is of a blue diamond-like stone, glinting with the special paint used on the cave walls. There is no explanation of this stone, simply a name: _Keystone._

Keystone? What does that mean? That it's the key to everything or that it's a stone in the shape of a key? I stare at the stone but I can't see any way that it's similar to a key.

I hear a faint explosion and I turn away, knowing I've spent too long here. I look at the last picture as I turn and see Setrakus Ra, on the ground, dead. I was right, all the above components are needed to kill Setrakus.

But will it ever happen?

I race back through the tunnel, my mind filled with thoughts of sacrifices and keystones. The fighting sounds become louder as I draw closer and closer. I finally burst out into the cavern and see the others, all down here and fighting the army trying to come through the hole in the ceiling.

"Marina!" Six cries my name. Eight turns automatically to see if i'm all right and our eyes meet, before I look away and hug Six. She looks relieved; they had no idea where I was.

"The Loralite! It's this way!" I yell, pointing down the tunnel. Six furrows her eyebrows but as more bullets and mog fire streams down towards us through the hole, she nods and grabs John's hand.

"Come on, this way!" she shouts. John shines his lumen lighting up the tunnel as he, Six and Eight run down it, Five and Adam slung across their backs. Nine hesitates and looks at me; we can keep the mogs away whilst the others get down the tunnel. With our superspeed we can catch up at any time we like.

I see a couple of ropes drop down from the hole and our decision is made; we can't let the mogs catch us in the tunnel. We would die. Nine races up the ceiling using his anti-gravity and cuts the ropes. I use my telekinesis to lift some broken slabs of stone to cover the hole. Nine grins at my idea and jumps down from the ceiling, landing next to me.

"Good idea!" he yells, grinning at me. I smile as I continue to concentrate on the slabs, Nine helping me. There's an unbearable pressure as piken are forced to stand on top of the delicate slabs of rock but Nine's super strength must transfer to telekinesis because he doesn't let the pikens fall through.

_Marina!_ Six calls my name in her mind and I know we're ready to go. I quickly tell Nine as we back towards the tunnel, both focusing on the slabs. We stop our telekinesis at the same time and the rocks fall. Before we can see the monsters that will follow us, we run.

I hold Nine's hand as I drag him through the tunnel, since he can't see. I can hear Krauls racing behind us but they're simply not fast enough. What took the others five minutes to run through takes Nine and I a minute. We burst out into the cave and see the others circled round the Loralite.

"Take a hand!" Eight shouts, panic on his face. The others have heard the army running down the tunnel after us. I run forward and grab his right hand, Nine taking the left. I link my other hand with John. We're a perfect circle.

"Will this work like this?" Nine asks, his voice tense. Eight's silently panicking next to me and I begin to gently persuade his mind to calm down. We need him calm.

"Of course it will" I say, pretending I have complete faith in Eight. In reality, I'm terrified; thinking of every time we've been separated.

Eight closes his eyes just as I hear the krauls moving closer and closer. I use mind control to mute everything around Eight and make him focus only on teleporting. As if he knows my support, Eight smiles and squeezes my hand.

Just as the first krauls race around the corner, everything goes black.

Xxx

Two

_Briseis_

_Shield  
Healing  
Telekinesis_

I stare at the sheet of paper, amazed yet frustrated by the little information it offers. I _know_ I'll get telekinesis and I've already got my shield. This sheet is not very helpful at all.

Yet, healing. The ability to save anyone no matter the issue. Seeing Marina with this legacy has made me jealous and awed as I've see her heal people and soon, I'll be able to do that. To me, healing is the most important legacy and I'll get it.

I'm sitting in the garden, books spread around me as I try to research more about my Elder Briseis. From what I've learnt, she was very gentle and focused entirely on helping people. She was never involved in any scandals or any political outrages. She was an overall nice person.

"Anything interesting?" I turn and see Three appear, a grin on his face. He received his first legacy yesterday morning and has been constantly smiling ever since as well as developing it. It is light manipulation and I swear everything seems brighter when he's around.

Or maybe that's just my crush talking.

"No, my Elder seemed like a wallflower" I sigh. He laughs and sits down next to me, looking over my notes.

"That's not such a bad thing. You can't be ashamed of your Elder that way" he says. I nod and smile, appreciating the sunshine. England, where I grew up, is not a sunny or hot place at all.

"Are you?" I ask. He shakes his head and stretches his arms out in front of him, small flickers of light dancing over his hands as he shows off. I watch, mesmerised.

"No, my Elder was the same as yours. She-" he begins but another set of footsteps approaches us. A sudden flash of resentment flickers through me as Ella sits down next to Three. Wearing shorts and a cute t-shirt, she looks really pretty compared to my scruffiness.

"Hey guys, I'm not interrupting, am I?" she asks sweetly. The thing is, she's not being bitchy, she's just a generally nice person.

I want to say yes and tell her to leave but Three shakes his head and grins. "Nah, join us, three's a company after all" he says. Ella laughs and shakes her head.

"Actually, it's 'two's a company, three's a crowd'" she corrects him. He laughs along with her and I look on jealously, wishing I could be this light-hearted.

"Well, then I can always leave" Three says, pretending to be upset. Ella laughs again and shakes her head.

"No, don't worry" she replies. They smile at each other and I feel completely left out until Three turns to me.

"You want to see how my legacy works?" he asks. A response immediately comes to me and I use it, not wanting to seem slow.

"You mean, you want another opportunity to show off?" I ask. Three laughs and leans close to me, pulling a sad face. My heart stops and I stare at him, sort of stunned.

"Why is everyone being mean to me today? I thought I could count on you to back me up, Two" he says. I blush at his close proximity and I try to reply but I sort of stumble over my words. I give up, blushing furiously.

Three pulls away and I notice with a thrill that he's blushing too. Does he like me? Ella is looking away, pink also colouring her cheeks. Is she jealous? Oh god, this is a difficult situation. There's an awkward silence until Three decides to break it.

Three focuses on his hands and small little orbs of light dance out. Ella and I watch with amazement as these orbs dance in the air, leaving behind trails of different colour. It's magical and beautiful. The orbs float closer to Ella's face and she reaches out in wonder, lightly touching the orbs. They don't burn her and she starts laughing as Three makes the spheres dance around her hair. She looks like a mystical goddess, with the deep blue and silver orbs floating around her, almost like planets.

"Oh wow, this is amazing" Ella breathes as a couple floats down onto her hands. Three is sweating and looks like this is a lot of effort but the look on his face tells me as long as this makes Ella happy, he doesn't care.

"Two!" I turn and see Crayton at the top of the steps by the porch. Time for one-to-one legacy tuition. I slowly scramble to my feet and join Crayton but he's not looking at me. He's watching as Ella and Three still marvel and play with the little orbs of light. Crayton smiles and then turns to me.

"I knew it would happen one day, but it still seems too soon" he says mournfully. My breath catches as I realise what he's saying and I turn away, trying to fight tears.

As we walk back through the door, I take one last glimpse behind me to the two of them.

That's how I see Three lean forward and kiss Ella's cheek.

* * *

**Firstly, the arena scene was inspired by the one in Star Wars. Can't say which one, just that I remember seeing it :D also, the whole keystone thing is because I was reading The DaVinci Code and am now hooked on all things mysterious :)**

**So, hope you enjoyed!**

**Question: On the facebook page for Lorien Legacies, it says a character is going to die *sob*. Which one do you think and why?**

**Please review!**


	51. Chapter 51

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies...**

**Hi guys! **

**Thank you all so much for all the support via the reviews and PMs. I love them all so much and we've gone over 700! I never ever saw that happening! Thank you all so much!**

**BlackCat718: I have this theory that Setrakus somehow managed to get some new legacies when he defeated his planet and moved to the mogs. I think it was some type of development he managed to create in Mogaodre. Therefore, Five will not be getting that legacy :( it would be a nice idea though**

**Lorien: Congrats and thanks on being the 700th reviewer! Also, Two and Adam is a definite possibilty...**

**Therealnumber5: Have fun in England! Don't forget to have some tea!**

**By the way, you guys have to read 'Five Things' by 1oooWords. It's amazing, especially if you're a Six/Nine lover... I'm slowly being converted by it ...**

* * *

Nine

Mind control is perhaps the best legacy ever.

Otherwise I'm not entirely sure how we would explain the unconscious, battered mog in my arms. Or the teenage girl that is half-dead on her feet.

The motel manager stares at Marina entranced as she not only 'persuades' the guy that we're not criminals and to forget he ever saw this but she's also 'encouraging' him to give us free rooms. Eight did a good job to break up with her; she's really come out of her shell recently.

"Ok, I got two rooms. Best I could do" Marina says, coming over with two rooms keys. Considering we have no money on us, it seems pretty damn good to me.

"John, Eight, Marina, Sam and I in one room" Six announces as we head down the corridor. Eight looks uncomfortable next to me and I grin at him, enjoying his discomfort. It's amusing and takes my mind off my own situation.

I never said I was a good friend.

"Cassie, Adam, Five and Nine in the other" Six confirms, shoving the key into Cassie's hand.

After Eight managed to teleport us all out to a lonely place in the middle of West Virginia (which was annoyingly ironic), we had to drive for hours all the way to the motel near Utah, where we had left Cassie. It was far enough away that if anything happened it would take a while for the mogs to find her and the chests.

I enter the room, Adam still in my arms. He and Five had slept restlessly during the journey and after collecting the chests, we only travelled to the next motel instead of really securing our safety.

Five flops down onto the double bed when she enters the room whilst Cassie goes to one of the two fold-up beds. She drops her bag on it and looks at me, probably wondering if I'll go and kiss her again. Obviously, after the hell Five's been through, that's the last thing I want to do.

I gently lay Adam down on the bed even going so far as to pull the covers on top of him, but with telekinesis. He smiles even in his sleep and I try not to roll my eyes. I'll never be the gentle, doting type.

I eye Five and notice the many cuts on her that Marina didn't have time or energy to heal. I head over to the bathroom, grabbing a small bowl from under the sink and fill it with water. I grab a towel and rip it into strips, like cloths. I rummage around for a first aid kit and luckily there is one here. I'm sort of impressed by this motel.

"Here, let me help" I say as I notice Five rubbing at her cut up cheek. She sighs but then nods, sitting up against the wall by the bed as I sit on the mattress next to her. I can feel Cassie's eyes on me but she doesn't matter.

I wet one of the cloths and wipe her face, hating her winces. When the wound is properly cleaned I apply cream and then bandage it. I smile proudly at my work and Five can't help but roll her eyes.

"You put a plaster on Nine, it's not rocket science" she says. I grin and shrug, moving onto her next cut. She doesn't seem to notice our close proximity, that or she's ignoring it. I can't help but feel the electricity crackling between us.

"Does it hurt?" I ask quietly, as I work on the cuts on her arms. Since she's wearing a tank top, it's easy for me to clean.

"A little" she whispers. I raise my eyebrow and she smiles ruefully.

"A lot" she admits. I take her hand in mine, looking her deep in her eyes.

"I wish I could have killed them all for what they did to you" I mutter angrily, my teeth clenched.

Five reaches out and gently strokes my face, her touch lingering and soft. She smiles sweetly at me, making her look young and innocent.

"You came, that's enough" she reassures me. I sigh and look down, disagreeing with her. Cassie is in the camp bed with her back to us, probably furious about my interaction with Five. One kiss and the girl thinks she owns me. I really wish I had never kissed her in the first place.

"Hey" Five coaxes my head up. Our eyes meet and warmth flashes between us. "It's not your fault. There was a reason I was taken... we just need to figure out why" she says, looking thoughtful.

"Wasn't it for information?" I ask, slightly confused. She frowns and shakes her head.

"No... I thought that at first but they didn't really seem to care that I didn't answer. I was taken as bait" she says. I nod, reaching out and brushing a piece of hair back from her forehead.

"Bait for what?" I ask, concerned. Five shrugs, looking tired and fragile.

"I really don't know and to be honest, I don't really care right now" she says. I smile and nod, finishing off the last of the cuts. It's not healing like Marina or John but it will have to do.

"There you go, all done" I announce, using telekinesis to float the kit and bowl onto the desk in the room. Five smiles at me gratefully.

"Thank you" she says. She leans forward and to my surprise, wraps her arms around me hesitantly. I hug her back at once, holding her close to me. Her head rests in the crook of my neck, her breath slightly tickling my skin. Her scent fills my senses, making me close my eyes in happiness.

"I didn't know you had a girlfriend" I look up and see Cassie standing up, glaring daggers at me. Shit, I totally forgot about her. Five pulls back, confused. My heart falls; Cassie will tell Five about our kiss or actually kisses. God this is a mess.

And it's all fault.

"He didn't mention you when we were making out yesterday" Cassie says. Five stares at her stunned and then her eyes move to me, filled with shock. I look down in disgrace; she deserves better than me.

"I'm sorry Five. I thought... I don't know what I thought" I say weakly. Five nods and then turns to Cassie. Her face is blank but I know this is it between us; she won't ever like me again.

"You may think you have this special hold over him because you kissed but that's bullshit. Nine kissed you because he's an idiot. He loves me and not you" she says, sort of possessively. I look up stunned, sure she was about to verbally murder me.

"So, go to sleep and don't wake up until I tell you" she orders Cassie, compulsion strong in her voice. Cassie nods mutely, completely taken over by Five's legacy. In seconds she's out.

"You forgive me?" I ask with a grin, liking this slightly more considerate Five. She rolls her eyes as she smiles at my expression.

"Technically we weren't dating. And I probably deserve it; I've been a bit difficult" she admits. I grin and shake my head.

"I think you're an angel" I announce dramatically. She laughs and gently hits my arm.

"Ha, liar. You'd say anything to save yourself" she accuses. She then turns a little insecure. "Was she a good kisser?" I shake my head, pulling her close to me.

"Nowhere near as good as you" I reassure her and it's totally true, I would kiss Five over Cassie any day. Five grins and I can't hold off any longer. I reach down and kiss her, wrapping my arms firmly around her body. She moves closer to me whilst winding her arms around my neck.

We kiss for a long time, neither of us wanting to let go of the other. When I eventually pull back, Five's lips are redder than usual and her eyes sparkle. She smiles shyly at me, not sure where to go from here.

"I lied about my feelings not being strong" I admit. Five looks up at me through her eyelashes, biting her lip.

"Really? You're not just saying that now to make me feel better?" she asks. I shake my head, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her lips. I pull back before either of us can get into it.

"I promise. I'm completely in love with you and no pretty human girl or war is going to change that" I say. She blushes and smiles.

"Same" she replies. I laugh and shake my head.

"I just said a deep and romantic thing and all you can say is 'same'?" I ask, grinning. This is the Five I know and love.

"What do you expect? This is _me _you're going out with" she says and then blushes at presuming we're dating. However, I grin and shrug, leaning down to kiss her again. We kiss for a while longer until I pull away and look at her.

"You should sleep, you look exhausted" I say. She smiles and yawns, her face scrunching up cutely. God, I am totally whipped.

She lies down with me next to her and my arms wrapped around her slim figure. She snuggles closer into me, as I pull the covers over. She yawns again sleepily and I feel my own exhaustion beginning to pull me down.

"Five?" I ask, just before she falls asleep. She groans and looks up, somehow managing to glare whilst being extremely sleepy.

"What?" she mutters.

"You're cute when you get protective of me" I say, talking about when she talked Cassie down.

"Nine?"

"Yeah?"

"If you don't shut up, we're over" she mutters, obviously exhausted.

Needless to say, I shut up.

Xxx

John

"When are you going to open the chest?" Sam asks impatiently. Six sighs next to me and shrugs, slightly nervous.

"Later... I don't want to rush it" she replies.

I know what she means. She wants to open the chest in private, not in front of all of us. Also, since the chest was closed something tells me that something not quite right is going on with her chest. But I don't want to ruin her good mood so I keep quiet.

"Do you think we can trust Cassie?" I look up and see Eight sitting cross-legged on one of the two camp beds. I shrug and look to Marina who is sat by the desk, bent over her sketchpad. She looks up at the question and frowns a little.

"I don't know. There's nothing in her mind that would tip me off but it seems convenient that her father looks after the Chimaera" she replies. I sit up quickly, not having heard that bit of news.

"What?" Six asks, still holding onto my hand. We're sat on the double bed, Sam lying at the bottom of the mattress.

"Oh sorry, I forgot to mention that" Marina smiles apologetically. "Her father was trusted by Crayton to look after the Chimaera" she explains.

"Why him? That would take a huge amount of trust for Crayton to do that" I say. Marina nods and continues to sketch.

"He's half-Loric. His father 'went foreign'" we all grin at the phrase; it describes Loric who decided to permanently move to Earth instead of occasional visits.

"So he can be trusted? Is his father even still alive?" I ask curiously. Marina nods.

"Looks like it. That's the only reason the Chimaera would remain alive for so long; they're not the standard pet" she says.

"I wonder how Cassie was captured" Eight muses. Marina doesn't even look at him and shrugs.

"Probably just got caught in the crossfire" she says. Just like Sarah. Another innocent girl who was caught up in the wrong war.

"Well, it makes me relieved that we can trust her" Six says, leaning back into me. I wrap my arms around her and kiss the top of her head. She smiles and squeezes my hand.

"She's not a danger that's for sure... though she won't be happy about Five and Nine" Marina adds. I stare at her shocked, sure she's lost it.

"Five and Nine!" Six says, bursting out laughing. Eight and I join in, the image too funny to believe. Marina smiles to herself as though she knows something we don't.

"Wait, you were joking, right?" I ask. Marina shakes her head and Sam nods, a huge grin on his face.

"You knew?!" I ask, shocked. He shrugs ruefully.

"How could you not?! It was so obvious _and_ she kissed him in Chicago" he says. My mouth drops open as I try to see Five and Nine as a couple. There have been times when I thought they were similar and would be good together, but I never gave it serious thought.

"Why didn't they go out once they realised they liked each other?" Six asks curiously. Marina smiles, still sketching. She's almost done.

"Because they're stupid" Eight laughs and nods, earning a grin from me.

"Here you go" Marina says, handing over the sketchpad. It's the drawings that interested her most on the cave walls. The three things that will help defeat Setrakus, which is amazing but daunting. Underneath, she has even written what each drawing is, although her skill is good enough that it's easy to tell.

"So a sacrifice" I state, looking sadly down at the paper. Six bites her lip, looking equally worried.

"It could be me" Marina muses. "I _will_ die after all" she says. A look of pain flashes across Eight's face and I can't help but feel so sorry for him.

"Let's not think like that" Six says hastily, looking at the next picture. It's of a sword and looks like a beautiful weapon even on paper.

"The sword of Pittacus, which sounds impressive but we have no idea where it is" Eight says, teleporting over and leaning over the paper next to me. I sigh and groan.

"Why are they making this hard for us?!" I mutter, lying back down. Six shoves me gently and I grin.

"Nothing's easy" Sam says mock-solemnly making me laugh.

"Maybe there's a clue in the documents?" Eight says uncertainly. I nod, not all the documents have been read and analysed.

"And then the Keystone. What do you think that does?" I ask, looking at the gem. Even here it looks stunning.

"Gets rid of Setrakus' powers?" Marina suggests.

"That would be nice but it's probably not" I say gently. Sam perks up.

"Maybe it's the sacrifice weapon, you bash the person over the head with it till they die" I stare at him and then laugh, his stupidity and bluntness being amusing.

"That's sick. Only you would make a joke out of a sacrifice" Six says, a grin on her face. Sam shrugs and we turn back to the drawing.

"Let's look at the documents when we get back and see if anything is mentioned" Marina suggests. Six nods and pushes the drawings away from her.

"So anything else we need to do?" she asks, looking around. Sam nods eagerly.

"Open the chest" he says. Six rolls her eyes but uses telekinesis to lift the chest over to her. She looks nervous yet excited and I squeeze her hand to show support. Marina and Eight lean closer, almost touching, but they're too excited about the chest to notice.

Six places her hand on the lock and there's a click. We all hold our breaths as Six opens the lid, a huge smile on her face. She looks around her chest, rummaging through with a huge smile on her face.

"This is all mine... they haven't been able to access any of my things at all" she breathes, pulling out a sack of orbs that is a macroism. I frown, though, something wrong with her story.

"But the chest Five saw..." I trail off. Marina shifts and nods.

"I thought about that... Five had one of her legacies by then, so what if, when she was unconscious, one of the mogs opened her chest the normal way" she says. Eight grins and nods.

"So when she escaped, they thought she'd go for the chest. But she passed the open one, thinking it was someone else's. She didn't realise that they'd gone into her chest already" he adds. Sam lights up, also understanding.

"So, they tried to transport it away when she escaped... but in the process, shut it" he says. Marina nods, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Five told me the mogs were angry when she took her chest back. She assumed it was because she had taken it... but what if it was because they had shut it by accident and were angry about that, and _then_ realised she took it" she says.

"So basically, Five was an idiot" I summarise. Marina nods, moving away to her bed.

"An idiot whose Chest has been tampered with... a lot" she says.

Xxx

Three

My life sucks.

I've been hunted my whole life by a race of evil aliens and was eventually killed by them. The only person who mattered to me was also murdered in front of my eyes.

And now, I'm alive again.

You're probably wondering why my life sucks. I've been given a second chance of living, to help resurrect my planet and destroy the mogs. I've been blessed. And I do feel that way most of the time.

Except for now when I'm sat between two of the coolest, prettiest, most amazing girls my age.

There's Two, who's perhaps the sweetest and nicest person ever born. When she's confident, she's funny and witty; the perfect girl-next-door really.

Then there's Ella, who's also sweet and funny. But there's an iron-will determination about her that is so wonderful and so transfixing. Pair that with annoyingly good looks and I've fallen for her.

"We haven't heard anything from the others so we have to assume they went to get Five" Crayton says, scanning the computer for news.

We heard about the massive explosion in West Virginia so we assumed they all pulled off the attack perfectly. However, since they haven't returned, they must have found out the whereabouts of Five and gone to save her.

"I tried contacting Marina but I couldn't get through... I think she was asleep" Ella says, sketching something on a piece of paper.

"Don't worry, they know how to handle themselves" Sandor says. Although he didn't mean it as a dig, I can't help but take it as one. My emotional conflict is putting me in a bad mood.

"Should we get training?" I ask, trying to distract myself from Two, who keeps smiling sweetly at me. Crayton nods and we begin to head outside, already dressed in workout clothes.

"I think we should have duels today but no legacies" Crayton says, smiling at us. I tense in excitement; the opportunity to try out our new skills. I know out of all of us Two is still the weakest but then she has different strengths.

Though I don't see how extreme kindness will help in a war.

"Ella and Three" Crayton says. I nod and take a stance opposite Ella, slightly away from the others. She stares back at me, determined to win. She's tough, there's no denying that.

Crayton blows his whistle and Ella immediately throws a punch at me. I dodge and try to kick her legs out from under her but she's too good. She lightly jumps away whilst trying to hit me again. I block her hit and she winces at the pain of her arm whacking mine.

Ella tries again with her hits but I grab her arm, about to twist her towards me so I can kick her legs out from underneath her. She digs her nails into my arm viciously and I let go without thinking. She lashes out and manages to hit my cheek.

Now it's on.

Our fighting picks up, both of us sending the other some pretty nasty hits. I'm sure that my body is going to be covered with bruises tonight but I have to be trained to fight. Finally, I break her concentration by trying a really complicated sequence I only learnt yesterday. Ella stumbles back and I throw her to the ground. She struggles desperately but I'm stronger and I hold her down for the three seconds required.

"Three wins" Crayton announces, a big smile on his face. We must have done well for him to look so pleased.

"Well done, guys. You've learnt a lot" I look up to see Henri on the porch, smiling at us proudly. I blush and smile, happy about their pride.

"Right, I think the winner deserves a break" Crayton says, grinning at me. I laugh and flop down on the grass, looking forward to this next fight.

"Ella and Two" Crayton says.

They take positions.

Xxx

Two

I _have_ to beat her.

She may be pretty and clever and funny and strong but I will win this. I have to, in order to show Three I'm the better option.

I used to like Ella a lot. We used to such good friends; talking all the time about everything. But last night, she came to me, blushing and smiling about _Three_. He had kissed her on the cheek and she was thrilled and confused even though she liked him... I was so jealous of her.

And now, seeing the way Three smiles at her and how they just seem so natural together makes my blood boil. I've never been this jealous before and I hate it, yet I can't control it.

I barely hear the whistle go; my eyes are locked on Ella's. Like me, she's determined and I wonder if she feels the same about me.

Ella jumps forward and tries to hit me but I dodge easily, thrilled that my training has come in handy. I try to hit her back but I'm not as good as her and my throw misses. She smirks and my anger goes up a notch. I try and hit her again but this time it works, sending her stumbling back. She stares at me shocked and then her gaze narrows.

We throw ourselves into the fight; both of us giving it our all. I'm aware of Crayton cheering on Ella but I think Three might be cheering for me. Or is it Henri? I'm not too sure because I'm too busy fighting Ella. Our hits are hard and cruel but unlike Ella and Three's fight, we really mean it. We don't like each other because of Three.

This situation is so messed up.

Suddenly, Ella does a complicated and vicious manoeuvre, one that will really hurt. I see her arm flying towards my chest, or really my ribs, and without thinking I activate my shield. Ella's fist hits it and then she screams in pain as her knuckles are crushed by the force of her punch. She staggers back, crying and I see Crayton rush to her at once.

"Ella! Are you all right?!" Three cries, jumping up to see her. She's trying to hide her cries but it's clear she's in pain. I look on horrified by her pain and that _I_ did that.

What have I done? I never wanted to seriously hurt her.

"Come on, let's put a healing stone on that and see if it works" Crayton says calmly, leading Ella inside. He smiles reassuringly to me; he must have known it was an accident. Henri has already gone inside to look for a stone.

"Why did you do that Two?!" Three demands angrily once we're alone. My defences come up without me meaning to.

"It was instinct, I didn't think" I shout back. His face closes off and he scowls.

"She could have been really hurt. Hell, she _is_ really hurt!" he shouts. I glare at him.

"I told you, it was an accident... instinct. Your legacies aren't good enough for you to understand" I say bitingly. I then groan inwardly; not only have I hurt Ella, I just insulted him. He flushes in anger but nods, controlling his temper.

"If that's what you think, fine" he says, walking away stiffly, his hands in fists.

"Wait, Three! Where are you going?!" I call out desperately. He doesn't even turn around.

"To practice! Because according to you, I need to!" he shouts back. He enters the house, leaving me alone outside.

I throw myself onto the grass and burst into tears.

Xxx

Unknown

"What do we know of the Mogadorians?"

I stand in front of the toughest, scariest members of the Government. My job today is to persuade them to consider the mogadorians a threat and the Loric as a potential ally. The problem is some of these officials have close contact with mogs; it will take a lot to persuade them.

"The Mogadorians come from a small planet named Mogadore, a planet twice the size of Lorien yet five times smaller than Earth. Creatures such as Piken and Krauls are found there, deadly animals that put our own to shame" I begin.

So far so good. Everyone is interested, despite some already knowing this, and Agent Roberts is smiling at me from the back. I take courage from her strong presence and continue.

"Mogadore has been facing many problems for hundreds of years. Their planet is dying; too polluted by the harmful pollutants constantly pumped into the atmosphere" I show a picture on my presentation of a river, blocked by foul rubbish and black waste. A female agent gasps and I try to hide my smile.

"This eventual death of the planet would lead it to become inhabitable. Pair this with the growing threat of extinction and the Mogadorians are desperate" I announce. An agent leans forward, a curious look on their face.

"Why are they becoming extinct?" he asks. I smile, glad I have them involved and interested.

"The female mogadorians are finding it harder and harder to conceive. Those that do, eventually die from childbirth. Setrakus Ra, the leader of the mogs, and many scientists have created a way to create ideal warrior mogs: vat-borns" I say, showing a picture of one. The sharp teeth, pale skin and black emotionless eyes make a couple shift nervously.

Exactly what I want.

However, a couple of agents who have dealt with these mogs simply cross their arms. One even looks at me coldly.

"So because they're ugly, we can't trust them?" she sneers. I tense, trying to keep control; they're trying to trick me out. I plaster on a cool and confident smile.

"Of course not. I'm simply explaining the mechanisms to those who do not know the history" I say evenly. The agent flushes but remains quiet.

"The Mogadorians needed natural resources; ones found on the nearest planet to them, Lorien. They attacked the planet and stole the resources, but the damage was done. The planet Mogadore is still dying to this day and nothing can stop that" I say. Another one of the suspicious agents glares at me.

"How is this persuading us of how 'terrible' they are?" she says. I try to control my temper and smile.

"They attacked the nearest life-sustaining planet to them, Lorien. But they still need somewhere to live. Now, Earth is the closest habitable planet around. Why are we safer than Lorien?" I question. The more confident and cynical ministers begin to look doubtful.

Perfect.

"But we're bigger than Lorien" one agent protests. I nod and sigh.

"Yes, which is why the mogadorians have emptied half of their planet to scope ours out. They're analysing our weak points, whilst trying to kill the Loric. This isn't only about them, this is about taking over Earth" I announce dramatically. One minister nods.

"What about the Loric?" he asks. I smile, more confident in this topic.

"Lorien is ten times smaller than Earth and-" I begin but one minister shakes his head.

"No, the _Loric._ How did they get their powers?" he asks. I nod, trying to hide my inner annoyance.

"The Loric were gifted their powers or Legacies by the planet itself. Lorien was beginning to fail like Mogadore had, except they did something about it. As a result, the planet began to reward them, over many centuries, certain powers to help protect the planet. The Loric with legacies are called Garde" I explain. They nod.

"When the mogs attacked Lorien only eighteen escaped; nine young Garde and nine Cepans" I say. I flick through some photos, taken of the Garde when they were captive. The most recent one is of Five, who was taken to Dulce despite our wishes.

Another strike against the mogs.

"They're so young" one agent breathes. They _are_ too young to fight a war; they need adult help.

"The Loric are helping us. They want to return home and the only way they can go that is to kill the mogs. Once the mogs are gone, Earth is safe" I say. One agent speaks up.

"Why don't they sign a treaty with the mogs? Like we did?" he asks. I try to hide a grin; this man is leading me in the perfect direction!

"Because the mogs will break it... like they did with us"

Cue lots of gasps and astonished looks. Clearly, these agents and ministers had no idea what the mogs were doing.

"What?!" one asks, outraged. I nod, a look of sadness on my face.

"We specifically set out a rule that no humans would be killed or tortured but the mogs have broken both those rules at least thirty times" I reply. The faces of my targets begin to become determined and I know I've won.

"Thirty times?!" one says, a furious look on their face. Agent Roberts smiles at the back.

"Thirty humans have been tortured and killed, breaking our treaty. The mogs are planning to take over our planet and destroy humanity... do you need any more reasons to trust the Loric?"

I look around but no one can come up with an answer. It's true the Loric have destroyed our bases and killed some agents, yet they were being attacked by us. They were being defensive.

Finally, the leading minister stands up. He nods at me as if to say I did a good job.

"You and Agent Roberts are in charge of a new department" he says. I open my mouth to protest; I didn't want a new department, I wanted action. The agent sees my look and smiles, holding his hand up to stop my protests.

"A department to contact the Loric. You were right, we need them on our side" he says. I breathe a sigh in relief and grin.

"What about the mogs?" I ask. The man frowns.

"We'll deal with them. And you will help"

* * *

**So, hope you guys enjoyed! Lots of Two/Three/Ella drama...**

**This is an important question. How opposed (or not) would you be if Six and John were to sleep with each other? (I won't go far, I'm not into writing M scenes)**

**Please review!**


	52. Chapter 52

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies.**

**Hi guys!**

**Thank you all soooo much for the lovely reviews! I love hearing your opinions as well as what you think I should do to improve! Thank you all so much!**

**Ok, so in the last chapter I asked whether people would be opposed or not to John and SIx sleeping with each other. The majority did say they wanted the two to sleep together and I have to go with what most people want. However, I do understand that there are many younger readers on here. **

**What I will do is when I write the scene, I will be VERY tame. Basically, I will not do a POV of them actually sleeping together. I will also put a note saying younger viewers to not read this part if their parents don't want them to. I obviously have to make this compromise to suit everyone and them sleeping together will not change anything at all, it's just to interest the older readers here.**

**So, I hope you're all happy with that and if I go by my plan, you probably won't really read that much at all. I hope this is ok because I really don't want to lose any readers and I really don't want you guys to stop reading, especially when there's so much more to come!**

* * *

Ella

The healing stone didn't work.

I'm sat wrapped up in a blanket in the lounge, my hand bandaged. It hurts like hell, despite the painkillers Crayton gave me. I just have to wait until Marina gets here.

I don't hate Two for hurting me. Both of our emotions were running so high in that fight that neither of us were in control. I regret lashing out so hard at her and I know she'll be sorry for hurting me.

"How's the hand?" I look up and see Three smiling at me, a drink in his hands. He gives it to me and I take a sip, enjoying the taste of cold lemonade in the hot late afternoon.

"Sore... but that's ok. Whenever Marina gets here she can heal it" I reply. He smiles and sits down next to me, looking at the screen of the show I'm watching.

"I'm so confused Ella" he admits, sighing sadly. I look at him and feel my heart thud a little when his eyes meet mine. I like him a little, ok a lot, but he's two years older than me and I'm only 12. Also, Marina might just kill him if he even thinks about kissing me.

And she'll know if he does.

"About what?" I ask, though I'm pretty sure I know what about. His feelings for both Two and I are sort of obvious, but it's not clear who he likes more.

"I really like you Ella, you're strong and brave and funny..." he says, trailing off. The thing I've noticed about Three is when he's feeling burdened by something, he tells people. This is such a nice difference from Nine or Eight or any of the others who prefer to hide their inner problems.

"But you also like Two" I state. He nods and sighs.

"This is so confusing!" he mutters. I take his hand and squeeze it.

"Look, I like you but I think you should go for Two" I say. He stares at me, his deep eyes holding mine.

"Really? But I don't want to upset you" he says. I laugh and shake my head.

"It's an order Three, not a suggestion! She _really _likes you! So, if you don't ask her out-" I begin to threaten but he shakes his head before I can go on, smiling at me.

"Thanks Ella. I'll talk to her now. Though we had a bit of a fight earlier, so she might not be very happy" he says, walking up to Two's room. I roll my eyes at his retreating back. Of course she'll be thrilled. She'll probably faint when he asks her out.

I turn back to the TV and watch it for another hour or so. I haven't heard anything from Two or Three so I hope everything's ok. I'm about to go upstairs and investigate when there's the sound of a car outside and lights flash in the quickening darkness. I'm on my feet at once and I see Sandor and Henri grab guns.

"It's only us, don't shoot!" I look up and see Nine walk in, his hands above his head and a smirk on his face. I laugh and race forwards, throwing my arms around him in a hug.

"Hey, kid. Missed us?" he asks, hugging me back before pushing me gently away. His clothes are bloody and pretty gross but he grins at me all the same.

"You bet" I say eagerly. More of the others pour in, Six, John, Adam, Sam, Five... When Marina enters I run to her and hug her too. She laughs and ruffles my hair, hugging me back like Nine did.

"Hey, Ella. How are- What happened to your hand?!" she says, seeing the bandage. I smile ruefully as she unwinds the bandage, about to heal it.

"Training accident. Sorry" I say. She rolls her eyes as she heals it and I smile as the pain vanishes.

"It's not your fault" she replies, still smiling. She stands up, looking around.

"Nice place" she remarks. I grin and drag her over to the couch, wanting to tell her everything that's happened with me, Two and Three. The others go on upstairs, looking for their own rooms. Three, Two and I all put signs on our doors so nobody would steal our rooms; we know Nine too well for him to fool us now. Eight hangs behind Marina, looking uncomfortable.

"Um, Marina, here's your Chest" he says, handing it to her. She takes it, not looking at him. I furrow my brow in confusion as Eight quickly escapes.

"What's that about?" I ask. Marina settles down next to me, pain in her eyes.

"He broke up with me" she explains. I stare at her shocked.

"Why?!" I ask. I thought Marina and Eight were going to always be together. She sighs sadly.

"Ella, Eight saw something... my death in the final battle against the mogs" she says. My heart stops and tears well in my eyes. She takes my hand as I stare at her, shocked and terrified. I can't lose my sister, I just can't.

"Shh, it's all right. Death is natural" she soothes me, her voice choked up. She pulls me to her in a hug and I begin to cry. It's worse to mourn someone who's still alive.

"I don't want you to die" I say. Marina nods as we pull away and I see the tears in her eyes. She's trying to control herself, trying to control the emotion that's been building up for days.

"Neither do I" she says, her voice cracking and then she's crying. This time it's me pulling her close and hugging her. I can tell her about Three and Two another time. Right now, she needs me.

She cries in my shoulder; luckily no one is here to look in on our conversation. She eventually pulls away, blushing in embarrassment and I clasp her hand, trying to reassure her. She wipes some tears away, trying to pull herself together.

"Sorry, it's just so hard... trying to be tough all the time when I'm terrified inside" she admits. I nod and squeeze her hand. She takes a deep breath and then smiles shakily at me.

"So, what's been happening with you?" she asks. I bite my lip but then decide my news will probably be a good distraction for her.

"Well, I've sort of developed a crush for Three" I admit. Marina grins and ruffles my hair.

"Aw, look at you! I _told_ you that you would fall in love!" she announces, proud of herself. I can still see the pain and fear in her eyes but for now, her mind's on something else. I'll make it my job from now on to distract her from her sad fate.

"But he likes Two as well" I say. Marina stops grinning and looks at me confused.

"Oh... that 's awkward" she says, not sure how I feel about this. I laugh and shake my head.

"It's ok, I told him to be with her. She's infatuated with him" I explain. Marina nods, though she's still frowning.

"Wow, that's pretty selfless" a wicked grin creeps onto her face. "What has Crayton said about all this?" she asks. I blush and avoid her eyes.

"He doesn't know yet and please, it has to stay that way!" I beg her. Crayton would be even more embarrassing than anyone else.

"I suppose... Aw, Ella's growing up!" Marina says. I laugh and poke her side, making her giggle.

It's funny, I always thought she was the more grown-up one and she is. But now that I've matured as well, I feel like our relationship is more equal. She'll always be my big sister but I don't feel as useless anymore.

"Anyway, I better go and see if there are any rooms left" Marina says, grabbing her chest and bag. I smile up at her as she heads to the stairs.

"You can share with me, I have a spare bed" I call. She grins as she leaves.

"Just like old times" she calls back, leaving out of sight. I sigh and put my head in my hands, the grief I held back overwhelming me.

_Just like old times_.

I didn't realise how much I could long for those times.

Xxx

Five

I flop down onto the bed, exhaustion overtaking me. I'm craving sleep yet every time I do, I have another nightmare. They keep me up at night and haunt me during the day. I can't get rid of them no matter how hard I try.

I look around my small cupboard-like bedroom. It's only big enough to hold a bed and some floor space for my chest and bag, but I don't need any more room. I'm not one for material possessions.

I roll over onto my stomach and look out the small window, admiring the view even though it's almost dark. I can see a beach in the distance and fear rises in me; that is one place I am not visiting. I don't want to almost drown again.

I close my eyes and images of torture flash in front of me again, making me wince in fear and remembered pain. Every nightmare relives some different method of torture they used on me; my dreams won't let me forget.

I sigh and rest my head in my hands, so tired by everything. Never before have I wanted the war to be over as much as I do now. Even though Nine and I might finally have something between us, I can't be happy. My nightmares won't let me be.

I realise I'm crying and I bury my head in my arms, finally releasing all the tension I've been feelings for weeks. My body shakes with sobs as I crawl beneath the covers, curled up in a ball. I try to take comfort from the warm blankets but I'm in a very low mood today.

"Knock, knock" I don't look up but I know Nine's at the door. I would recognise his voice anywhere. I try to wipe my eyes and control my tears, not wanting him to see me weak.

"Come in" I say, my voice low. I hear him shut the door and sit on the edge of the bed with my back turned away from him.

"You all right?" he asks, concern in his voice. I nod, hoping he'll go away. I just want to be alone even though that's probably not the best thing for me.

"Yep, why wouldn't I be?" I ask, a challenging note in my voice. He sighs and rests a hand on the covers where my shoulder is.

"Because you've been avoiding me... because you're not looking at me right now... because you're not sleeping well" he says. I tense a little; how does he know I'm not sleeping well?

He laughs as though he knows what I'm thinking. "Five, I _know_ you and the bags under your eyes are sort of a give-away" he says. I huff under the covers.

"Everyone has times in their life when they don't sleep well" I defend myself. He sighs again, probably annoyed by my resistance.

"Yes, but not everyone has it after they've been tortured and almost killed" he says. I go silent, not sure what to say. He really does know me well.

"Why won't you tell me what's going wrong? Marina and Eight always opened up to each other" he pleads. I snort.

"Yeah and look where that got them" I say. He sighs and I imagine he's glaring at me.

"Five, it's not a weakness to be hurt... or affected by something that traumatising" he argues. I shrug and bite my lip.

"So would you go opening up to me about how you felt if you went through that?" I ask. He goes silent and I grin triumphantly.

"Exactly, just what I thought" I say.

Instead of replying, he reaches under the covers and pulls me up. I try to struggle but he's just so much stronger than I am. Soon, I'm sitting opposite him, my tear-streaked face in full display. He reaches out and tenderly wipes away my tears.

"You shouldn't be embarrassed" he whispers, taking my hand. I feel a new wave of tears rise in me and they fill my eyes. I look down, not wanting him to see me like this.

"Well, I am. OK?" I say petulantly, my voice shaky. He doesn't reply, instead he reaches out and holds me, pulling me close to him. I melt at once into his arms, needing his comfort despite my resistance.

"I know what it's like... to go your whole life trying to be the tough guy" he says. I nod, burying my head in his shoulder. That's exactly how I feel.

"You don't want to show any weaknesses... you keep it all bottled up" he continues, stroking my hair.

"It's hard. People just think I don't get affected by things but that's not true" I say pulling back, but holding onto Nine's hands. He nods in agreement.

"I know. I put on this act of being confident all the time but I'm not... most of the time" he says, a light grin on his face at the end. I roll my eyes at him.

"Admit it, you like being seen as the 'tough guy'" I accuse. He laughs and nods.

"Would it suit me if I was weak and crying all the time?" he asks. I see his point; he doesn't look like a soft person.

"No, I guess not" I sigh, looking away as my bad mood returns. He reaches out and tilts my head up.

"Let's make a deal. Whenever we feel really down and like we need someone, we tell each other everything" he says. I raise my eyebrow doubtfully.

"_Everything?"_ I ask. He nods.

"Of course. So, deal?" he holds his hand out and I shake it, hesitantly. I then grin ruefully.

"You're gonna hold me to that, aren't you?" I ask. He grins.

"Sure am. I can be annoying like that" he says. I nod quickly.

"Trust me, I know" I say. He mock glares and then grabs me round the waist, tickling me. I try and get out of his arms but he's too strong and I begin to giggle.

"Stop, _stop_!" I beg. He grins and stops, but still holding me close to him. I blush when I realise how close we are and he smiles gently, bending down and kissing me gently.

"My mission was successful. I cheered you up" he says smugly when he pulls back. I roll my eyes but nod in acceptance.

"Let's get you a medal, shall we?" I say sarcastically. He laughs and kisses me again, sort of making me lose my train of thought.

"You really should sleep" he says, pulling back and eyeing me with concern. I roll my eyes.

"So should you! You've been awake longer than me" I argue back. He grins and shakes his head.

"Why couldn't I have gotten a nice, sweet girlfriend who wouldn't argue about everything?" he says, pretending to be sad. I laugh, knowing he's only joking.

"Because you'd get bored" I reply. He nods, smiling at me.

"Yep, that's true. Nothing ever gets boring with you... I never know if you're going to turn around and say we're over" he teases me. I roll my eyes for what feels like the millionth time.

"You're not going to let me forget that, are you?" I say exasperated. He laughs as we lie down, both of us exhausted. He wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me close.

"I was right and you were wrong. It's the greatest moment of my life! Of course I won't forget it" he brags. I roll my eyes and snuggle closer to him, hoping I won't get nightmares.

"Don't get used to it" I say. He laughs and kisses my cheek, settling down next to me.

"Go to sleep, Five" he says, smiling at me.

It's actually the one time I listen to him.

Xxx

Sam

I sit on my bed, listening to Three's chatter about how _horrible _his situation is. It's amusing to see him so happy and so infatuated with not just one girl but two; it's a complete change from before.

"Dude, are you even listening?" I look up and see Three try to glare at me but we're too close for him to get angry with me.

"Um, yeah?" I reply. Three laughs and sits down next to me.

"It was Ella who told me to ask Two out... but I just couldn't" he admits. His voice softens when he says Ella's name and I furrow my brow in confusion.

"You like Ella too" I say. He sighs and nods, looking down.

"Yeah, that's the dark side to all this. I really like Two but I also like Ella" he says. I grin and shove him.

"Look at you, you're a player!" I joke, trying to lighten the mood. He laughs and shoves me back. We're about to get into a proper mock fight when there's an explosion from outside. We both turn serious at once and run to the door.

"What's going on?" I look outside and see Nine and Six bounding down the stairs, both clutching weapons. I don't see Eight appear so I guess he's already down there. Marina and John soon follow the others, leaving Three, Two, Ella and I behind.

"Go and grab our stuff. Sam, we'll go and help" Five appears from her room, also ready for battle. Three, Two and Ella run to every room to get the chests, whilst Five and I run downstairs. Having her nearby gives me confidence, especially when she passes me a spare sword.

We enter the kitchen but no-one's here. We can hear the sound of fighting outside and we race there, conscious that our friends need us. When we get there I can see mogs pouring out of about 10 vans; easy pickings for the others.

Five turns invisible and throws herself into battle; there's an explosion of ash every couple of seconds. I can see Nine and Eight doing some devastating stuff whilst Six is sure to be kicking some ass out there. John is a human flame whilst Marina is using superspeed and mind control to her advantage.

I see a nearby mog aim for me and I duck as the bullets stream at me. I try to look for a place to hide, knowing I'm no match against bullets but Adam teleports over and grabs me, teleporting me away.

"Thanks" I mutter breathlessly. He nods and disappears.

I move onto more mogs, stabbing them quickly. I've improved so much recently thanks to all my extra training. I'm still fighting, when I hear more screams from inside the house. I turn and watch with horror as the house lights up, fire consuming it.

John at once rushes for the house since he's fire proof but he'll need help to get everyone out. I see the Cepans already out and fighting; it's Three, Two, Ella and Cassie who are stuck inside.

I race back to the house, intent on helping him. I burst inside and hold my breath at once, knowing that smoke is the real killer. I look around the burning kitchen but can't see anyone. They're upstairs. I run upstairs and see John grabbing Ella and Cassie, the chests in their arms. He nods at me as he passes, trying to get them out as quickly as possible. I see a coughing Three try and drag an unconscious Two outside but he's weak.

"Get out of here!" I shout, using up all my air. Three looks up as I breathe in, smoke filling my lungs. I cough instinctively and then breathe in more air. I push Three towards the stairs and after a hesitation, he runs down them. He's in a worse state than me.

I pick up Two, noting her paleness. At least she's breathing. I turn to the stairs, stumbling under the weight and my coughing. Once I reach the bottom, I drop to my knees, overtaken by the smoke. I can see the fire nearing as my eyes begin to close.

Something grabs me and Two, throwing us over a shoulder. John. He bursts out of the house and I greedily suck in clean air. I feel myself pulled off his shoulder and then the weirdest sensation overcomes me. It's as though someone's pulling the smoke out of my lungs and pushing clean air back in.

I open my eyes and see Five concentrating. She's using her element legacy to control the air and help me breathe in better air. I turn my head and watch as Six uses her legacy to tame the fire, letting it eventually burn out.

There are no signs of mogs.

I sit up, Five helping me. She grins and at me and then gets up, looking for Nine. I look around and see Three and Ella ok and also hugging. Hm, guess Three really was telling me the truth about liking both of them.

"Thank you so much" I turn my head again and see Two nearby. She's sitting up and reaches out clasping my hand. Small tingles race through my skin and I frown to myself; she's four years younger than me! What am I thinking?

"You're welcome" I say. She smiles and I have to look away. Since when do I like Two? I mean, she's nice enough but she's not Six. She lets go of my hand and I feel normal again. Maybe the near death thing is messing with my head.

"Everyone ok here?" I stand up, helped by Five and watch as Six wipes her sword on the grass. She was the one who asked the question. I nod, even though I'm still shaky.

Nine walks over and reaches out to take Five's hand. I see some of the others, mainly John and Six, have a double take but Marina and I smile knowledgably. I mean, how did the others not notice?

"We'll need to move again" Henri says, looking at a map. He loves those things.

"We could go to Montana" Cassie suggests. She's usually very quiet; she feels out of place.

"What's in Montana?" Three asks but Crayton nods, a grin on his face.

"Are they still there?" he asks Cassie, who nods.

"The Chimaera" I explain in a low voice to Three. He grins since I told him about the Chimaera being on the ship with Ella.

"Montana it is" Sandor announces.

Xxx

Eight

We're on a freight train travelling up North, hopefully stopping in Montana. From the address Cassie gave us, the house is pretty hidden. Which is good since it'll be likely that the Chimaera will be properly trained.

I sigh and look down the carriage, rubbish strewn on the floor. I'm dirty from sitting here for only two hours but it doesn't matter. Looks aren't important and neither is being clean.

What matters is being hidden.

I gently trace a pattern in the coal-caked floor, grimacing at the black dust sticking to my skin. I pull my finger away and look up, right into Marina's beautiful dark eyes. She looks away quickly, her cheeks reddening at being caught by me. I look down, a blush also on my cheeks.

I still love her, if not more than I had before. But what I did, I did for my own sanity. I _have_ to distance myself or I'll be driven mad when she dies. Not only do Loric love for life, but we love more intensely. It's probably very possible for a Loric to go mad with grief and that could very well happen to me.

I look over and see Five sleeping, her head in Nine's lap. It's funny, Marina and I split up whilst those two get together. Nothing romantic-wise is simple when it comes to us Loric. In fact, nothing is easy for us.

"You ok?" I look up and see Marina looking at me, concern in her eyes. I nod quickly and she looks away again. This is the first time she's actually looked at me without anger in her eyes. But can I blame her? Not only did I tell her she was going to die, I broke up with her _and_ when she had recently lost her Cepan again. Sensitive is not the word I would use for my actions.

Next to me, Cassie shifts, a sad look on her face. I realise now that I've always felt sorry for her, but was always too immersed in my own issues to really talk to her. But now, having seen Nine blow her off for Five, I kind of want her to be happier.

"So what happened to you? What's your story?" I ask her. She looks up and smiles at some small bit of attention. I can feel Marina's curious eyes on us but I forbid myself to turn and look at her. It takes a huge amount of will-power.

"It's a long story" she says, sighing. I laugh, even though the situation isn't funny.

"We have a long time" I persuade her. She smiles and draws her knees up to her chin, looking pretty deep in thought.

"OK... basically, it all started with my grandfather. He was Loric and came to Earth for 5 years for education purposes. He learnt everything he could about the American culture and was soon about to return, when in his last four months, he fell in love with a human. She was his first love and he thought he would rather die than live without her" she says with a smirk. I roll my eyes even though the fear of feeling the same way made me end things with Marina.

"He sent all his research and findings back to Lorien but stayed on Earth. They got married, you know the usual, and ended up having a kid. My dad. To be honest, nothing really interesting happens. My dad also gets married and has me" she says. I nod along, genuinely interested.

"My grandfather's not the only Loric on Earth. There are about 100, dotted all over the world. I bet half of them won't even realise Lorien is fallen. Some like to completely isolate themselves from Lorien whilst some still stay in contact through these rock things" she continues. I stare at her fascinated; more Loric on Earth! I see some of the others listen in, interest on their faces too.

"My grandfather was one who stayed in contact and when Lorien was destructed, it was he who went around and found trustworthy humans to help him greet the ship. He couldn't turn up because he's too closely linked to Lorien but the men he chose did a good job" she says.

"When the second ship came, my grandfather knew at once; he had contact with that ship too. The Chimaera were entrusted to us and we moved into the depths of Montana; we didn't exist to the outside world. My brother and I had no one, yet the Chimaera were more than enough to keep us company" she says with a fond smile that soon frowns.

"But the mogs aren't stupid. They sought out my grandfather first, knowing of his existence. He knew they came before we did and had gone on holiday that week. Really, he was just separating himself from us so we could get away. We received a last minute call from him telling us to run. We did but we never saw him again" she says, tears in her eyes. I take her hand without thinking and see Marina stiffen. I feel even more terrible and focus on Cassie to take my mind off things.

"We lived hidden in rural Washington where we remained unnoticed. Well, until last year. We were attacked and my father left my mother and I alone to deal with the mogs. I understand why he did it; he needed to hide the Chimaera since they're more important" Her selflessness stuns and humbles me, especially since she's only a human and has no ties to us.

"I was taken to a base and treated quite well since I had no idea about you or where the Chimaera were. In fact, the mogs were the ones who told me about you guys and the whole numbers thing. I stayed there until you all rescued me" she finishes, her face sad. I squeeze her hand and she smiles at me, her green eyes sparkling. I look away and see Marina's fists clenched.

"Why are we going to Montana?" Nine asks. Cassie smiles at him, not seeming annoyed by his relationship with Five. She really is such a nice girl.

"Because that's the only other place my father will have known to go. The mogs never knew of our residence in Montana; my grandfather was just being careful" she explains. I nod and lean back against the wall of the carriage, saddened and shocked by her story. It's strange to think there are other Loric out there.

"Do you think the other Loric will fight with us?" I ask. Marina sighs and looks kindly at me.

"Eight... if these Loric preferred Earth to Lorien, especially those who didn't keep contact, they won't want to involve themselves in a war with the mogs. And anyway, if the mogs knew of Cassie's grandfathers' existence, then they'll have known of the Loric who kept in contact with Lorien. They'll have been killed. We're on our own" she says, sadly. I nod, disappointed.

"It's a nice thought though" she adds. We smile at each other and they first feeling of happiness in day's wells up in me. At least we can still be friends.

Friends who are still deeply in love with each other.

"How many are there?" Ella asks, sitting on the other side of Marina. She glares when she sees me looking; she's a little protective over Marina.

"10, last time I was there" Cassie replies.

"Ten... same number as the Elders" I muse. Marina smiles at me again, making my heart leap. She doesn't hate me, not like she did the first couple of days.

"Get some sleep guys. We're gonna have a trek when we reach Montana" Crayton says. We all groan but lie down anyway, the hard floor uncomfortable.

When I finally sleep, it's my recurring nightmare of Marina dying.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! Back story to Cassie so what do you think of her?**

**Question: Which scene is your favourite in my story so far? And least favourite? :D**

**Please review!**


	53. Chapter 53

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...**

**Hi guys!**

**Thank you all so much for the reviews! They mean soooooo much to me and I love receiving them! Thank you!**

**I'm soooo sorry about my updating at the moment. I'm going on holiday next week so obviously, updating will probably be once a week. I've had so much work to do: projects, presentations, uni vsists... and today was my birthday :D so yeah, updates are slower at the moment :(**

**Also, I plan on updating my other story very soon. I haven't posted anything for that in weeks because I thought you'd rather read this story :D**

**So yeah, I'm sooooo sorry and I hope this chapter makes up for it!**

* * *

(Three days later)

Nine

"Ow, seriously, get off!"

The Chimaera on top of me does not seem to realise that jumping on a defenceless Loric whilst in wolf mode hurts. Especially when the claws are out.

The Chimaera grins at me (as much as a wolf can grin) and then jumps off, chasing another one through the trees. I groan as I look down on my torn shirt; this is my third today.

"Having fun bonding?" I look up and see Marina behind me, a Chimaera in cat form in her arms. Each of us Loric, Adam and Sam seems to have a Chimaera attached to us. Except for John; BK hasn't let any near him. Mine, of course, is an enthusiastic ball of energy which seems to love annoying me. I'm starting to feel deep sympathy for Sandor who had to grow up with me.

"He won't leave me alone" I complain. Marina laughs and shakes her head.

"It's sweet" she says, sitting down next to me. The Chimaera in her arms hisses at me for good measure and being the mature person I am, I stick my tongue out at it. Marina rolls her eyes.

"Mature, Nine. Very mature" she says.

"What's my oh-so-intelligent boyfriend up to now?" I look up at the sarcastic voice I love and see Five standing in front of me.

"Appreciate this moment Five, this is the one time you're taller than everyone else" I say. She rolls her eyes and flops down next to me, shoving me lightly. Marina grins and gets up.

"Right, I'll leave you lovebirds" she teases. I've been the brunt of a lot of jokes recently because of my new relationship status.

"You deserve it" Five says, in reply to my pitiful expression as Marina goes inside. I grin and pull her closer, an arm around her waist.

"No I don't" I protest even though I probably do. Five grins and shakes her head, looking around.

We reached Montana after an unnecessary detour (I blame John but everyone seems to think it's my fault). The house, or more like mansion, we're staying in is amazing; high-tech equipment everywhere. I almost feel like i'm back in Chicago but this place will never be my home.

"What are you thinking about?" I ask Five, seeing her thoughtful face. She smiles and shrugs.

"The war. I think we can do it you know. Win this war" she says, her face shining with hope. I agree with her. Although the chimaera can be cute, they're still very deadly. And us Loric are not to be messed with.

"But we still have to figure out the pictures on the wall" I say. Five nods, a small frown on her face. She always gets it when she thinks deeply.

"I think the sacrifice is not as straight forward as we think" she says slowly. I look up at her, eager to think that one of us, besides Marina, might not die after all.

"What do you mean?" I ask. She sighs.

"What if it's a more symbolic meaning? Like we've sacrificed our childhoods for this war... or maybe Lorien dying was the sacrifice" she says. I shrug.

"I don't know, it seems like a nice idea but maybe too hopeful. I think we need to do much more research until we can really say what the sacrifice will be" I say. She sighs and props herself on my chest.

"At least we can have a nice few days now" she says. I nod.

"The calm before the storm" I quote. She laughs.

"I hope it doesn't get stormier than Chicago" she says.

"Yeah, I don't want to get shot again" I say. She smiles tenderly at me and pecks me on the lips.

"Once you get your invulnerability you'll be fine" she says. I smile thinking about my future legacies; I wish they'd arrive now.

"Do you wish you could get any more legacies?" I ask, knowing mind control is her master legacy and therefore her final one. I brush a piece of hair back, as she sighs and shrugs.

"Not really... I love my legacies and to be honest, I can't be bothered to train and hone any more" she admits. I laugh and nod; getting your legacies perfect is hard.

"NINE! FIVE! Come on!" I roll my eyes as John shouts for us to come in; it's dinner time. I sigh and get up, helping Five stand in the process. I take her small hand in mine; still appreciating every moment we have together.

"It's a good thing Christina never came back to life" Five muses as we amble back to the house. I look at her with my eyebrow raised in question.

"She would hate you" she explains. I widen my eyes in protest.

"Why would she hate me?!" I protest. Five laughs and grins cheekily at me.

"Because she would see you as this 'bad influence'" she says. "Leading me off on a self-destructing path" she says. I laugh and roll my eyes.

"I'm sorry, but you would be the one influencing me" I argue. Five giggles and shrugs.

"Oh yeah because i'm a total rebel" she says sarcastically. I laugh and then bend down, kissing her quickly before she can continue. We kiss slowly, finally being able to do it in open and without covering our feelings. It's awesome.

"Nine! Dude, come on!" I look up and see John frowning on the porch. I roll my eyes but link my hand in Five's again as we walk up the stairs. She's blushing slightly and I grin, secretly proud of myself, which is really stupid.

"Finally, we were beginning to think you two might never appear" Eight mutters, as we enter the kitchen. Five rolls her eyes and hits him playfully on the back of the head as we pass.

"Ow, don't be mean" he complains. I grin as I take my place.

"You started it" I accuse. Six looks at me with her eyebrow raised.

"Have you gone back to seven years old again?" she asks.

"Probably" Five says. I lean over and kiss her cheek.

Xxx

I'm just crawling into bed when there's a knock on the door. I groan but call out for the person to come in. If it's Five I don't mind, but anyone else and I'll be pissed off.

Cassie opens the door and I jerk with shock; after I blew her off she hasn't talked to me. She smiles in the low light and walks over, perching on the end of the bed. I sit up and watch her cautiously; why is she here?

"I didn't wake you did I?" she asks, her voice soft. I shake my head even though she probably can't see me. Humans' eyesight is not as good as a Loric's.

"You all right?" I ask, wondering what she's here for. She sighs and then turns to me, her green eyes shining in the small shaft of light coming through the curtains.

"Look, Nine, there's something I need to tell you" she says. I nod slowly, unsure of what to do or say. What can she say that is so desperate but so secret that she has to do it now?

"I love you" she says. I laugh in shock, sure she's lost her mind. How can she love me?!

"Um, what?!" I say, trying to get rid of the laugh in my voice. This is not the kindest reaction by far. She sighs and I bet she's blushing.

"I know this sounds stupid but I do. I deeply love you... ever since you saved me" she whispers. I reach out and take her hand, trying to be kind.

"Look, Cassie... you're really nice and pretty and funny but... I love Five" I say. I hear her sigh again and she shifts uncomfortably on the bed.

"I know...but I had to tell someone the truth" she whispers. I squeeze her hand gently and I think she smiles but I can't be sure.

"I mean, thanks I guess. It's, um, very flattering" I manage to say. She laughs sadly.

"You know it's bad when all a guy can say is that it's flattering" she says. I sigh but don't do anything else. I don't want to give her false hope.

Before I can say anything else, she leans forward and kisses me. I stiffen in shock as her lips press against mine. In fact I'm so surprised I don't react immediately.

_What are you doing?! Get her off you!_

I feel her hands reach my shirt's hem and cold reality washes over me. I push her away, guilt and horror consuming me. Why didn't I push her off at once?! At least I didn't kiss her back.

"What the..?!" I say, putting my head in my hands. I'm such an idiot.

"It's ok" Cassie reaches out for me again and her hands find my shirt again. Does she want to _sleep_ with me?

"Wow, wow Cassie. Stop! I am not sleeping with you" I say, shying away from her on the bed. She only moves closer.

"It's only natural" she persuades. I stare at her shadow in the darkness.

"Um, yeah, but not with you. _'I'm. With. Five"_ I say bluntly. How does she not get it?

"Nine-" she begins but I laugh incredulously.

"Can't you hear yourself?! I don't want to be with you!" I half-shout. I hear her gasp and then I think I see her nod.

"I didn't want to do this. I wanted you to be safe" she mutters and then I feel a burning, stabbing pain in my stomach. I try to cry out for help but her hand is over my mouth as I feel her pull out the dagger and stab me viciously again.

"What?" I whisper, pain my only real thought as I collapse back on the bed. She stabs me again and I groan in agony.

"I was always against my father. You think I'd forgive him for giving me and my mother up?! You and the other Loric were just casualties" she whispers in my ear, her hair brushing my face.

"Why... are... you doing... this?" I manage to gasp out. She laughs quietly as she stabs me one last time. Tears leak from my eyes and I try to cry for help again but I can't; she's stopping me.

"Please" I whisper, resorting to begging. She smiles and then presses a kiss against my lips.

"If I can't have you, _she_ can't" she whispers maliciously. She reaches under the bed and pulls out a roll of duck tape; she had this all planned. She fastens it over my mouth and tying my hands together. I can't fight since I'm too weak.

"Sweet dreams" she whispers as she leaves, shutting the door behind her. Pain is overwhelming me but I try to fight through the agony.

I have to live.

Xxx

John

I was having a very nice sleep until I heard a strange noise in the distance. I groan in bed, wanting to succumb again to the lovely blanket of sleep but I have to see what it is. I slowly get out of bed, hoping it's just my paranoia talking.

I amble out into the corridor and see a shadow running down the stairs but I don't think anything of it. It could be a chimaera, still playing with another one. I continue down the hallway, not noticing anything unusual. I pause outside of Nine's room but instead of snoring, I don't hear a thing. A grin creeps onto my face; he's probably with Five.

I make my way downstairs, instinctively checking all my surroundings. I've been on the run for far too long to never ignore instinct. I enter the kitchen but there's nothing out of ordinary. I shrug and turn away from the floor-to-wall ceilings.

Suddenly, there's a huge crashing sound and somebody throws himself at me, knocking me to the floor. I look up to see a mog drawing a huge sword but before I can react, a chimaera has ripped the mog to ashes. Damn, these creatures are useful.

"Thanks" I say, standing up. Just at that moment, Six and Eight appear having heard the noise.

"What happened?!" Six shouts.

"A scout! We're being attacked!" I yell.

"Let's go" Eight replies, going to a cupboard in the kitchen. Instead of ordinary food supplies, it's stocked with weapons and he grabs some, handing it out to us.

"Hey, what's happening?" Marina's appeared, still looking sleepy. I realise then that we're all wearing our pyjamas but we don't have time to change.

"Attack" Six says, passing her a sword. "John, get Nine up" she orders as she, Eight and Marina run outside to fight. They've disappeared from sight in seconds.

Five runs quickly down the stairs, having changed into fighting clothes. Smart move. She nods at me as she grabs a gun from the open cupboard.

"The Cepans and the others are coming. We should get out there" she says, pointing outside. I nod and also grab a gun, preparing for the battle. But first, I'll get Nine up. I move to the stairs whilst Five goes to the doors.

Just then, Cassie runs into the room, tears streaming down her face. She rushes over to us and grabs my arm, looking at me desperately.

"Wait! Have you seen my father?!" she begs. I stare at her torn; I need to get Nine and then fight.

"He's not here?" Five asks, a frown on her face. Cassie shakes her head, new tears forming in her eyes.

"No! I can't find him anywhere!" she says. "But I think I saw someone being dragged up the hill" she says, pointing to one of the few hills in the woods. Five bites her lip but then groans.

"John, hurry up and get Nine. I'll help Cassie look for her dad... hopefully the others can manage" she says. I nod as she leaves, dragging Cassie along who's thanking Five.

I thunder back up the stairs, passing Sam and Crayton on the way. I quickly tell them the others are outside before I continue on, heading to Nine's room.

"Dude, wake up! There's a- !" I enter the room, shouting but then stop when I see the sight partly lit by the hallway light. I use telekinesis to switch the room's light on and pause in horror. Nine's hands are tied to the bedpost and he's been stabbed viciously a couple of times. He's also been gagged and his eyes are shut.

"Nine, _Nine!"_ I shout as I run over, praying he can hear me. I rip the duck tape of his mouth and sigh with relief when I see he's breathing. I press my hands to his chest and stomach and focus on healing. I'm praying and begging; we can't lose him.

After five minutes, I hear a gasp and look up to see the wounds are gone and Nine is awake. I grin with relief and even hug him, despite his tied hands.

"What the hell happened?" I ask as Nine shakily sits up; he's weak from blood loss.

"Cassie, she's an enemy" he whispers, looking white. I stare at him confused.

"_Cassie?_ She did this to you?" I ask, dread creeping into my stomach.

"Yeah, trust me, I'm surprised too" he mutters. I stare at him in shock.

"Five's with her" I say. He shoots up at once, wobbling slightly, reaching for the pipe staff by his bed.

"Where did they go?! _Why _did they go?!" he demands. I stand up as we begin to run back down the stairs, needing to fight. I'm impressed that he's ready to fight, despite almost being killed.

"Cassie was worried about her father...Marina was already fighting and Five was the only other one who had mind control to locate him" I explain. Nine swears as we finally get outside, his head swivelling around as though Five will appear.

"We need to fight" I say, gesturing to where the others are sure to be fighting.

"I can't! Cassie will try to kill Five! She said she loves me but look what she did! God knows what she'll do to Five!" Nine says, looking at me desperately. I understand that he wants, no _needs_ to make sure Five is ok but we need him in our fight. It's crucial.

"I promise, the minute the mogs are gone, we'll find her" I say. His shoulders sags but he nods, looking out towards the fight.

"Come on then" he mutters, sprinting away to the fight.

Xxx

Five

"Are you sure you saw someone being dragged this way?" I complain, as we make our way up _another_ hill. Cassie nods and continues to run down a small path.

"Yes! I wouldn't lie about this!" she says, her voice a breathless rush. I roll my eyes and follow her, wanting to be in the fight below. I'm sure Nine is doing more than his fair share of killing but still, I need to help.

"Come on Five!" she yells, jumping over a small rock and jogging up the hill. I groan but follow her, navigating the terrain a lot easier than she is.

I use my mind control to listen out to minds but I can only hear Cassie's naive mind... wait. I begin to focus in closer and sure enough, I can slightly hear the panicked mind of Cassie's father. I begin to pick up my speed to get there faster.

"This way" I say, passing Cassie. She nods, her face set in a determined mask. Her eyes are filled with hate and I assume it's for the mogs.

We reach the top of the hill and I tense behind a rock, Cassie by my side. She's clutching a small rock and I try not to roll my eyes; she's planning to kill a mog with _that?!_

Cassie's father is tied up tightly, his eyes and mouth covered in tape. Rage boils up in me but I don't move, trying to see if there are mogs around. Next to me, Cassie bites her lip in worry as she stares at her father.

"There aren't any mogs around" I say, cautiously slipping out from behind my rock. Nobody attacks and I relax a little, my sword still drawn. Cassie rushes out and goes to her father, helping untie him at once.

"What happened?" I ask, bending over to help unbind him. With one rip, I've pulled the tape from his mouth. Ouch. He takes in a deep breath, looking at Cassie with concern at her appearance. It's then that I notice the blood on her clothes for the first time but I shake it off. We are fighting mogs after all.

"I don't know... all I know is that I was dragged from my bed by some monsters" he whispers. I stand up and survey the scene suspiciously.

"Mogs, they were mogs not monsters" I correct him, though I can understand the misunderstanding. Mogs _are_ damn ugly.

"What's wrong, Five?" Cassie asks, helping her father stand. I sigh and shrug, turning towards her.

"Not sure. I can't hear any mogs" I reply. Her face tightens in fear.

"Is that a bad thing?" she asks. I shake my head, turning away.

"No... it's just strange that's all" I reply. I walk to the edge of the small clearing and stare out into the darkness, longing for Marina's legacy of night vision. I hear footsteps approaching and Cassie appears next to me.

"I think we should go" I say, turning away, not comfortable near her. After all, I _did_ sort of take her away from Nine.

"I'm sorry but that's not an option" she says, her voice suddenly cruel. I turn on my heel at once but it's too late.

The rock crashes into my forehead with sickening force.

Xxx

John

I rip my sword through a mogs' stomach and it explodes into ash at once. I turn and focus on my pain legacy, making mogs shriek and fall to the floor. Nine rips through them all quickly, his ferocity stronger because he needs to find Five.

I can see Eight every now and then, eliminated by the flashes of light he sends towards the mogs. Marina is nearby, healing Crayton who's suffered a bullet in a knee. Six is nowhere to be seen but that's through invisibility.

"How many more?" I gasp, as I reach Marina, seeing if she needs any help with the healing. She frowns in concentration as I help both her and Crayton up, who is now fully healed.

"About 300 or so. They knew we had the chimaera so they sent a huge force" she replies. A mog lunges out of the shadows for us but I shoot him without hesitating. Marina runs off, sprinting away in the darkness.

"How are they creating so many mogs?!" I groan as I hack my way through a group of mogs. Crayton loads his gun and then shoots some more mogs, a harsh glare on his face.

"They're made in labs!" he says, ducking as a tree branch being used as a club in swung our way.

We separate again as more mogs pile into us. I use my lumen to blind the mogs and then stab them in the heart, ash coating my skin and filling my mouth. I rip my way through the mogs, not sparing any. It's amazing how far I've come from the teenage guy in Ohio.

Nine is next to me again, using his pipe staff to its best ability. I duck as one stray swing nearly beheads me and he grins, a mad laugh escaping him.

"Why are you laughing?! You nearly killed me!" I exclaim, shooting a mog right in the forehead. It crashes to the ground. Nine whoops and impales another mog with his staff.

"This is awesome! Aren't you having fun?" he demands, spinning round and beheading a defenceless mog with one swing. I wrinkle my nose but shoot a stream of bullets at a group of mogs.

"No, because I'm not mentally insane like you" I reply, stabbing my sword into a mogs' chest.

Nine simply laughs.

Xxx

Five

I crawl around blindly on the floor, the world spinning around me. I can feel blood trickling down my face and matting in my hair. I try to stand up but the incredibly hard hit makes it impossible.

I hear voices talking as I try to stumble away but I'm grabbed by my arm, dragging me to the centre of the clearing. I try to struggle but it's not working today. The hit was too hard.

"Put her there" I hear Cassie order. That little bitch! I'll kill her.

If _I'm_ not killed, of course.

I blink some more and to my relief, my vision clears up slightly. I'm not healing myself but years of hardship have made me more resistant to blows like this. Cassie is pacing with two mogs and her father is cowering by a tree. He clearly wants to run but he can't; he'll be caught.

A mog goes to my back and roughly pulls my arms behind my back, tying them together with a thick rope, developed specifically to make it hard for Loric to break. He ties it so tightly that I can feel my circulation cutting off slightly but I'll live. The minute he walks in front of me, I begin to try and free my hands.

"Not so tough now, are you?" Cassie taunts with the usual phrase used in movies, her beautiful face twisted in a scowl. I roll my eyes.

"Not so original, are you?" I taunt right back. As expected, I'm slapped roughly and I fall back onto the ground before I'm dragged up again in a sitting position. My head whirls and I spit out some blood from where my jaw was hit. My wrists are still chafing against the rope as I try to pull them through but I have to continue.

I need to live.

"Where's your boyfriend? He's not here to save the day" Cassie continues, her eyes flashing malice. I shrug as best as I can when I'm tied up like this.

"He'll be along soon enough... he's probably one his way right now" I reply, trying to ignore the pounding pain in my head. My eyes are still seeing flashing lights, like I'm suffering a migraine.

"Oh really? Not even a couple of stab wounds will hold him back?" she laughs, pulling out a bloody knife. I stare at her in horror, she's hurt Nine.

Without thinking, I throw myself at her, even though my hands are tied behind my back. I knock into her and I grin when her skull cracks against the ground. She cries out and then I'm dragged off by the two mogs, receiving some nasty hits from them. I shake them off, filled with fury.

"You BITCH!" I shriek, trying to free myself. Cassie stands up and laughs when she sees my face.

"Four times I stabbed him. Should have been nine times..." she muses. I spit at her feet and I'm punched in the stomach, winding me.

"He's not dead! I would have felt it. I would have got a scar!" I yell desperately when I regain my breath. Cassie's simply grins.

"Well that must mean he's suffering when he's dying. Drawing his last breaths..." she teases, a cruel smirk on her face. I summon all my effort and try to rip my hands out of the ropes. Finally, I feel some space and I try to pull my hands through, ignoring the blood streaming down my skin.

"He won't die... someone will find him" I protest, trying not to cry from the pain of the ropes against my raw skin and the thought of Nine dying. The pounding in my head is also a million times worse after I tackled her.

"Well, even if he lives, you won't" Cassie says, walking forwards with the knife.

The mogs drag me forward.

Xxx

Eight

It's times like this that makes me long for India. For my little mug hut on the mountain, with the crystal clear lake below and the jungle nearby where I can spend my days playing and training. Back there, everything was calm and perfect.

Now, when ash and fire fills the air and screams are loud in my ears, my past seems a world away. I'm killing mogs by the dozen, my fire wiping whole groups out. I teleport away from danger and sneak up behind mogs, killing them when they don't realise it. I shape shift into terrible monsters that breathe fire or rip into flesh like it's paper.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Marina nearby fighting a couple of mogs. Superspeed is her main weapon and she uses it to the best of her ability. I've been keeping an eye on her during this fight, to make sure she doesn't end up killed.

Which is cruelly ironic considering she'll die eventually.

Marina suddenly pales and stumbles, which is when a mog chooses the right time to strike. It lunges forward and is about to stab her, when I teleport over and snap its neck. He turns to ash as I use my fire legacy to kill the rest around us.

"What's wrong?" I ask Marina urgently. Right now, it doesn't matter that we've broken up and things are as awkward as hell between us. What matters is that she's ok.

"Five's in trouble!" she says, running away from the rest of the fight. She's got a hold of my arm and is dragging me along.

"Wait... we should get the others" I say, pulling her to a stop. I am stronger than her after all.

She shakes her head quickly and takes my hand, looking me earnestly in the eyes. "No Eight, there's no time. Besides, Nine is our best chance of winning this fight; we need him here" she says, gesturing back to where the others were.

I bite my lip, embarrassed that I'm just as focused on her hand clutching mine as well as on the dilemma. I sigh and then nod, giving in.

I'm rewarded with a beautiful smile.

Xxx

Five

I rip my hands through the ropes and swing for Cassie, connecting my fist with her jaw. She screams and stumbles back, tripping over a rock. One of the two mogs grabs me by my hair and swings me around so I'm thrown down. I roll from the kick aimed at me and jump up, the world spinning around me.

"RUN!" I shriek to Cassie's father. He hesitates and then nods, sprinting down the hill. Cassie howls and tries to run after him but I tackle her, knocking the wind out of her as she hits the ground.

I'm dragged up by two mogs and I kick out at one, throwing him into a tree with my power. I drive my elbow into another and it gasps, bending over. I spin round and grab its neck, pulling it up viciously. The mog explodes into ash as the pressure grows too much and the bone snaps.

The other one yells and lunges for me but with a series of sophisticated moves, I have its arm broken and it cowering on the floor. I reach for a rock when I'm punched in the back of my head. I cry out and topple forwards, something jumping onto my back. I fall forwards onto the stone and roll over, intending to crush the person.

Cassie yells in anger as I elbow her roughly and then swing round, punching her. She cries out in pain as I circle my arms around her throat, choking off her air. She tried to kill Nine. There is no mercy for her.

I see a shape looming in the background and the mog lunges forward to stab me. I duck out of the way at the last minute and the sword drives into Cassie's heart. She screams, arching her back. I reach over and grab a rock as Cassie begins to choke on her blood. I jump up and whack the mog viciously three times in the head. Soon it's a pile of ash.

"Help... me" I look down as Cassie wheezes, her life draining out of her. Most people would bend down and comfort her but I glare at her. Nine could be dying because of her.

She stares up at me helpless, gasps and then collapses back onto the ground. The blood continues to stain the ground around her and I look away, my own injuries taking over. I stumble and then fall, landing on my knees. I grit my teeth and begin to crawl.

I make my way downhill, groaning as my knees are scrapped raw by the ground. Eventually, I give up, collapsing against a tree and closing my eyes. I begin to fade out and I try to fight it, needing to stay awake.

_Five_

I think I hear a voice call but I ignore it, choosing to lean against the tree. Hm, this is quite comfortable. I could get a small sleep in before I carry on.

"Five!" I hear a crashing noise and open my eyes in annoyance to see Marina and Eight in front of me. Marina bends down at once, taking my hand and soon icy energy floods through me.

"You're not very quiet, are you?" I slur, my wounds beginning to heal. Eight laughs and shakes his head.

"_That's_ the thanks we get?" he asks, shaking his head. I smile wearily and sit up, feeling so much better once Marina's done. She looks paler but smiles at me as she leans back.

"Do you think it's too much to ask for one of you guys _not_ to get hurt" she says, rolling her eyes as she stands up. I nod, clambering to my feet less elegantly than her.

"Yes, this is _us_ after all" I reply as we begin to make our way down. My ankle still hasn't burned from the pain of another scar so maybe Cassie lied.

"Is Nine all right?" I ask. Eight laughs and rolls his eyes.

"He's fine... in fact, he's been pretty impressive" he says. I breathe a sigh of relief and smile properly for the first time. It's amazing how quickly we deal with crisis's here; once an injury's healed, we move on.

"How did you find me?" I ask. Marina smiles, absently rubbing her arms for warmth. I've never noticed how cold it is until now.

"I knew you were in trouble anyway and then Cassie's father came to us, he was hysterical... Did, um, did Cassie make it?" she replies, her voice low and calm. Eight slips off his jumper, revealing a plain t-shirt underneath, and offers it to Marina. She hesitates but then takes it, slipping it over her pyjamas. Unlike me, Eight and Marina didn't have time to change into proper clothes.

"No, she's dead" I say bluntly, not an ounce of sympathy. Marina nods and looks away, biting her lip.

We walk for about another ten minutes until we turn up at a clearing, filled with ash and blood. I can't see Six and John but I can hear their minds, inside the house. Probably packing.

"Five!" I turn and watch as Nine runs over, pulling me in his arms. Eight laughs and I hear both him and Marina walk off, talking. Hm, that's a good sign.

"You ok?" I demand, pulling back and making sure he has no serious injuries. He grins back at me, winking.

"You think I'd be injured so easily?" He teases. I roll my eyes and shove his arm.

"Cassie seemed to do a good job" I say, noticing the blood stains on his shirt. He groans and takes my hand as we walk swiftly back to the house. We need to pack and quickly.

"Oh yeah? She seemed to do a good job with you too" he says, pointing at the blood on me. I shrug.

"I did a better one... she's dead" I reply. He doesn't even look shocked, he just nods.

"Good" he replies. Before I can say anything else, he leans down and kisses me, taking my breath away. I sort of lose my train of thought until he pulls away, a grin on his face.

"I _am_ glad you're ok" he says sincerely. We enter the house and quickly walk up the stairs, ready to pack. I smile as we pause outside my door, his hands on my waist.

"Me too" I say, leaning up and kissing him one last time.

Xxx

Unknown

"Right, who are potentials?" I call out, pacing around as my employees work around me.

My department. _Mine._

For 20 years I've been working for the Government, dedicating my life to them. However, I never imagined I'd be leading a department _and_ with Agent Roberts.

"Ok, here's a list of potentials" I settle down in my chair and watch as a young, nervous woman shows me a presentation.

We're debating which Loric are most likely to cooperate with us. We need to separate one or two from the pack, get them on our side and the others will soon follow. Our relationship with them won't be filled with trust but it's necessary. We need their legacies and power; they need our weapons, space to train and security.

"Number Seven, also known as Marina" I look down at my file and frown.

"She was tortured" I state. "That's not the best way to get into someone's best books" The woman nods quickly.

"Yes but according to our old spy, Sarah, she was also very kind and would listen to anyone" the woman says. I nod, deep in thought.

Sarah had worked for us when we were against the Loric. We had killed her family, well the mogs had; it had been too hard to hold them off. Sarah had given us valuable information about the Loric: relationships, personalities, legacies... everything.

"Also, Seven has mind control and will read the truth in our minds" the woman adds. I nod, won over. Mind control will prove that we are being truthful, not lying, as they will probably believe.

"Ok, she's a potential. Any others?" the woman nods and breathes a small sigh of relief at her first victory. I remember being like that in front of my superiors.

"Number Ten, from the second ship. Like Seven, she is said to be kind and understanding" I nod, looking down at the picture of the sweet 12 year old. Yes, very easy to persuade. Kids just want to live in a safe place and have the necessities. Also, this kid won't be old enough to have a developed anger like some of the others.

"Who else?" the woman frowns.

"They were our only two secure potentials but we have a half-way. Number Eight. According to Sarah, he had feelings for Number Seven and-"

"And if she joins us, so will he. Then the others will follow, one by one" I summarise. The woman smiles and nods.

"Yes. It seems a lot of them are in relationships; take one from a couple and the other will follow" she says. I nod and smile at her.

"Good work... now, how do we get to these Loric?" I muse. My agents begin to brainstorm when the door opens and Roberts enters, looking straight at me.

"We're needed" by the cold tone in her voice, it's not good.

I swallow and nod, making my way over to her. We step out into the hallway and she sighs.

"Derakus wants a meeting" she says as we begin to walk down it. I suck my breath in and stare at her wide-eyed.

"Do you think he knows?" I ask. She shakes her head.

"No, but I think he's a little suspicious" she says. "I have to be angry and accusing today. Recently I've been backing off, busy with other things" she continues. I nod, she needs to keep on playing the pissed-off agent with no power otherwise the mogs will get suspicious.

"Read this file" she orders me, passing me one. I flick through it as we walk, my eyebrows shooting up every now and then as I read the pages.

We finally reach the same room we had our earlier conversation and we walk in, our heads held high. We are not about to be made nervous by a mogadorian. We are US agents and proud to be.

"Good morning, Derakus. This is unexpected" Agent Roberts says, sitting down with me next to her. The mog nods, his eyes watching her suspiciously.

"We did not hear of your disapproval when we attacked the train" he says. He thinks we're becoming more sympathetic towards the Loric and fear begins to pulse through me.

"We were grouping it into one report along with the hospital attack and now the most recent attack in California. Also, Number Five was held in the new mog base in Dulce. We agreed there should be agents present" Roberts argues. I see Derakus relax a bit, falling for her lie.

"There should have been agents present, agents to talk to her _our _way" she adds.

Translated for me: there should have been agents to begin persuading her to join us.

"The Numbers cannot be interrogated anymore, they are simply too dangerous. Death is by far the better option" Derakus says. I nod slowly, pretending to agree with him, just like Roberts and I rehearsed.

"He's right... how can we contend with Loric who can control minds and free thinking?" I say. Roberts sighs and nods.

"I suppose... but only the Loric Garde. The Cepans, humans and the mogadorian traitor should be given to us" Roberts bargains. The mog shakes his head.

"I agree to all your terms but one. The traitor comes with us" he says. Roberts nods.

"That's fair enough. I'm sorry for doubting you in our last meeting, I was not myself due to lack of sleep" she lies. The mog laughs, a true politician.

"We all have our weak moments. But we are the two greatest powers on Earth, we have no need to fear or doubt the other" he says, shaking her hand as he stands up. We part ways but I can't help but think that was too easy.

We walk briskly out of sight and sound when Roberts turns to me.

"They suspect something. If we don't act soon, we're dead"

* * *

**Hope that made up for the late delay!**

**Question: Who would you rather be friends with, Marina, Five or Six?**

**Please review!**


	54. Chapter 54

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...

Hi guys!

Thank you all soooo much for your reviews! They mean so mean much to me and really help me continue with this story :D Thank you!

Also, I am very aware that my updates are horrendously slow at the moment :( basically, I'm on holiday next week so I've been packing and finishing of college... obviously I won't be able to update as much on holiday but I'm not sopping this story. And I would never leave it more than a week between updates :)

**Pelf:** I will include BK's POV in the future; it'll be an interesting perspective. Also a mogs' general POV will come up too :) also I can do a timeline at the end of this story  
**MarlboroughGirl:** It's not pathetic... writing this story has practically become my life too :D  
**TheSpectorPlaywright:** They found the chimaera in between the last couple of chapters. I didn't write the initial meeting because I was lazy. Also, Derakus is the same mog general from before.

**Lastly: This story is almost over! It will end at chapter 60 :( however, it's far from over and there will be a sequel... The Revenge of Ten. This will basically pick off from where this story ends**

* * *

Six

"I think we should go on a date"

I look up from the book about war strategy and look at John suspiciously. I have never been on a date and I'm confused as to why he's brought it up now.

"Why?" I ask, shutting my book. He shrugs and flops down onto the sofa next to me, a cheeky grin on his face.

"Because we've never been on one. We should at least have one in our whole relationship" he reasons. I purse my lips, thinking through the problems.

"But the mogs could attack us... or the house when we're gone. It's too risky" I say, shaking my head. John sighs and Marina looks up from where she peering over some documents. She's become obsessed with figuring out what the drawings on the wall means. At least someone is though.

"Maybe you should go... have a bit of fun" she persuades me. I glare at her as she backs John up, knowing that she's winding me up a bit. She knows me too well.

"It's a bad idea" I say. Just then, Nine and Eight saunter into the room arguing with each other over something small. Five is hanging out with Adam and Three somewhere; I think they're training but I'm not sure. The chimaera are hanging out somewhere outside; they hate being inside.

"What's a bad idea?" Nine asks, collapsing onto a sofa whilst Eight gingerly sits down on the sofa next to Marina. She straightens up a bit and looks away, focusing more on the papers. I exchange a smirk with John; those two are such idiots.

"Going on a date" I explain, thinking he'll back me up.

Instead, Nine perks up with a grin on his face. "Hey! That's a great idea! I'll ask Five to go on one" he exclaims, jumping up and leaving the room. I stare at him shocked and then cross my arms.

"Well, if Nine's going then I'm definitely not. We'll need people to protect this place" I say, referring to our newest 'safe' house in Vancouver. Marina rolls her eyes.

"_I _can and so can Eight" she says, grinning at me. "Go! You need to have fun" she says. I groan and throw my hands up in surrender.

"If I don't, will you use mind control on me?" I ask, resigned. She nods, a small grin on her face. Eight laughs and smiles at me, leaning back on the sofa.

"We'll look after this place. Don't worry" he reassures me. I sigh but nod. John grins and wraps an arm around me, pulling me to him.

"So, what do you want to do?" he asks me, kissing my cheek. I bite my lip and shrug, not sure what you really do on a date.

"I dunno, we could do something normal like go to the cinema" I suggested. John nods, grinning at me when Nine enters again. He's smiling smugly.

"Well, you going out too?" Eight asks. Nine nods and settles down on the sofa next to Marina. She shuffles over a bit, the sofa overcrowded.

"Yeah, though it did take a bit of persuasion" he muses. I shrug; knowing Five it's a miracle he managed to get her to go out.

"So are you going out?" Nine asks Marina. She looks up and then shakes her head with a smile.

"No, I'll stay here" she replies, looking back down at the documents.

"Why not? If we're going out and having some fun, so should you" he says. He nods at Eight. "You too" he says.

I see his plan at once. He wants Marina and Eight to sort out their problems and go out and I can't help but agree with him. While they're not stupid enough to let their problems interfere when in a fight, it's still not great for a war. Everyone needs to get on perfectly.

I see Eight glare at Nine angrily, whilst Marina blushes. She shrugs. "No, we really should have someone here to protect the house" she argues.

"I'll do that" I look up to see Adam appear with a grin, Five in tow. Guessing by her wicked grin, she's told Adam everything.

Marina bites her lip torn whilst Eight begins to look hopeful. I'm confused, I thought he broke up with her but now he wants her back. Five rolls her eyes at me and I realise she agrees with me.

"Besides, we have the Cepans who are great with guns and Three and Ella have improved loads in fighting. So has Two" Nine continues, grinning at John. They're such idiots at times those two, I bet they had this whole thing planned out.

"Fine, I'll go out" Marina says with a sigh. I grin until she speaks again.

"Adam, do you want to come?" she asks. Eight's face falls and I see Five's face turning red with suppressed laughter.

"Nah, I'm training" he says, playing along with Nine and not with Marina. Eight smiles gratefully at him whilst I turn to Marina.

"Why don't you go with Eight" I suggest as though the idea only just came to me. She glares at me but being so nice, she turns to Eight with a sweet smile.

"Sure, sounds fun" she says and he grins back at her. I raise my eyebrows at him as if to say, 'you owe me one'. He nods back, completely agreeing.

"So where are we going?" Five turns to Nine who suddenly looks stricken. I laugh and grin at Five, who knows exactly how to terrify her boyfriend. It's so weird seeing them together yet at the same time, I can't believe I never noticed it earlier.

"Well, let's leave them to plan" I say, standing up and going upstairs to change into sports clothes. Five stays downstairs to continue terrorising Nine but Marina jogs up to me, her face angry.

"Why did you do that?!" she demands, as we stand in the corridor by our rooms. I shrug, shocked because I've never seen her this angry.

"Because he clearly wanted to go out with you" I say, explaining my actions. She turns away, running a shaky hand through her hair.

"Don't you understand?! This will hurt him more! This is the last thing he needs!" she says, tears in her eyes. I falter and then nod, looking down.

"I'm sorry... I didn't think" I say. She nods, tears slipping down her face. It's the first time since that night when he broke up with her that I've seen her truly upset.

"Just...don't do it again" she whispers, walking away into her room. I stand in the hallway, feeling horribly guilty.

I should have known this wouldn't have made things any easier for either of them. I should have known better but instead, I went ahead thinking everything was funny. But seeing Marina's pain over knowing how much Eight will hurt, makes me feel sick.

I've just made things worse.

Xxx

Sandor

_"Sandoooooor!"_

_I groan at the sound of my Garde's call, knowing that any minute now he's going to start jumping up on me. It's a wonder my legs aren't broken yet._

_"Just coming buddy" I mumble, snuggling deeper into my covers. Why couldn't I get a calm Garde?_

_There's a thump and then something heavy lands on me. I groan again, knowing my morning torment will begin any minute. I hear Nine excitedly giggle as he clambers to his feet on me._

_I quickly sit up, surprising the kid and he falls off the bed. I rub my eyes, knowing he'll be fine. Really, falling off a bed and getting a bruise is the last of his problems today. Today, we start training with the Garde._

_"You're awake!" Nine exclaims as I swing my legs over the side of the bed. I grunt and pull a shirt on, whilst trying to regain order with my hair._

_"Sorry, late night" I mutter. Nine laughs and then grabs my hand, dragging me along easily. This kid is going to seriously pack some muscle later in life._

_"Good morning" I look up and see Adel, Seven's Cepan smile at me. She's nice; quiet but trustworthy. She's got one of those steady personalities that always shows an inner strength that's hard to find._

_"Morning" I reply. I see her Garde in the corner, playing with a lanky tanned kid, I think it's Eight but I'm not sure. I probably should pay more attention to our future soldiers._

_"Ready for training?" I look up to see Brandon smiling down at me, holding out a coffee. This drink has been my saviour on this ship, I swear. It gets me up in the morning and helps me deal with the pain when it's late at night._

_"Thanks... I think Nine's more psyched for training than I am" I say, watching my young Garde throw a punch to the air. He ducks and then kicks out at his imaginary foe. I can't help but grin at his enthusiasm._

_"Well, we should begin" Brandon says, heading over to the middle of the room. A lot of the Garde look up, awed by his presence. He is the leader here and even his own Garde, Four, gets nervous at times. _

_"Ok kids, today we start training" he says. One, the oldest at around seven, nods and I see a couple of others do the same, Seven and Eight, since they're also at an age where they understand._

_Nine is still attacking the air and I grab his arm, stopping him as the Garde begin to line up nervously. Despite being one of the youngest, my Garde sure is eager to beat some of them up. That will come in handy against the mogs._

_"Hey, buddy, keep it down. Save the energy for later" I advise him. He looks up at me with a grin, one that I don't trust. Before I can do anything, he lashes out with a kick to my shin and I howl, crashing to the floor._

_"Nine!" I yell as the little kid runs away. I jump up and hobble after him, the giggles of the rest of the Garde following me. Shit, that hurt! _

_My Garde runs to the kids' room and jumps onto a top bunk grinning down at me. I cross my arms and scowl at him._

_"Nine, apologise" I warn him. He sticks his tongue out at me._

_"My name's not Nine" he retorts. I don't know what to say. I need to call him Nine but not just because it's his number but also because I don't know his real name. I was never told._

_"Buddy, I need you to come down" I say, reaching out for him. He backs away and I scowl further. I could go up and get him but knowing him, he'd manage to escape._

_"Please Nine! I swear, if you manage to beat One, you'll get my share of biscuits" I persuade him. As a reward for training, each Garde and Cepan gets one chocolate biscuit. I never give mine to Nine since it's a useful bait. _

_I knew it would come in handy._

_"Promise?" he asks, peering over at me. I nod and grin at him; I know him too well._

_"I _will_ win" he announces, jumping down from the bunk and scampering away into the training room._

_Leaving me to limp after him as usual._

_Xxx_

_Nine is standing in the middle of the room, looking around bored. I can see Six and Four playing with some toys. Two, one of the youngest, is having a nap and so is Three. One is sulking in the corner, her Cepan trying to persuade her to go and play with some of the others._

_Nine frowns as he looks around the room, his eyes landing on Seven. She's painting, smiling to herself. She's a shy little thing but is very polite and kind to everyone. I watch warily as Nine goes over to her, knowing he always causes trouble._

_"I want to paint too!" Nine says, sitting down next to Seven. She smiles and passes him a paper and paintbrush. My Garde 'artistically' covers his paper with drawings of god knows what. I roll my eyes at his eagerness. He needs to calm down._

_I turn back to my book, sensing Nine is ok to leave out of my sight for a while. I've read a couple of pages when I hear a girls' cry and I look up, knowing Nine will be responsible. I clamber to my feet with a sigh when I realise what's happened._

_Seven's hair had been done in two plaits and Nine had found it funny to tug on one. He had pulled particularly hard and she had tumbled over, causing her to ruin her artwork and get paint all over her. She's started crying and I see some of the other Garde looking up to see the commotion._

_"Nine! Apologise!" I order for about the thousandth time today as I approach them both. Nine giggles and wipes more paint on Seven's hair, making her push him away. She's still crying but her Cepan isn't here, she's eating somewhere else._

_"Hey kid, you all right?" I ask, bending down in front of Seven. She sniffs and shrugs, the paint starting to dry on her. I glare at Nine as he grins cheekily. Can't he behave for at least an hour?_

_"Nine, apologise" I order again. He huffs but says sorry to Seven anyway. She nods but continues to cry, picking at the paint in her hair._

_"Hey, you're purple" I look up to see Eight standing nearby with a grin. He's looking at Seven, who stares back at him, her sweet face caked in paint._

_"And you're red!" Nine shouts, throwing a load of red paint at Eight. I groan and grab for my Garde but Eight starts laughing, wiping the paint on him. It simply smudges instead of coming off but he still grins._

_Just like his Cepan, always grinning._

_"I like red" he says cheerfully, sitting down next to the two kids. Seven has stopped crying and is now giggling, much to my relief. Eight reaches out and tries to help her get some of the paint of her face but Nine just grins, wiping paint on himself._

_Great, I'll have to clear this mess up._

_"Guys, I think we should cut it out" I say. Nine grins at once and turns to the other two with a wicked grin. Before I can run away, a load of yellow paint is shoved in my face, courtesy of the three Garde._

_I groan as they giggle, running away from me._

_I can't be bothered to go after them._

_Xxx_

It's nice here in Vancouver.

Granted it's not Chicago, but it's still pretty cool. Maybe if I'm lucky, I might be able to go out tonight, meet a couple of girls, take things from there...

"Sandor!" I zone back in to see Nine standing impatiently in front of me. I grin at how he is still the same really.

"Patience, my young ward" I say. He rolls his eyes and extends his pipe staff.

"Come on! You promised!" he says, sounding just like he used to. I ready my controls and sigh sadly.

"I only finished these yesterday. Now you're going to destroy them" I say mournfully. He shrugs and grins.

"Helps me practice" he says. I nod and press the power button.

My newly made drones spring to life and fly up at once, coming at Nine from all directions. He ducks one and swings his staff into another, making me grimace as it's destroyed. More fly at him but he swings and turns swiftly, destroying all of them. I can see him grin as he destroys every single one of my newest toys.

He whoops when he's done, wiping the sweat from his eyes. He's just destroyed 20 of my new projects. Some of them can be saved but others are broken beyond repair. He grins at me, energised by the workout.

"Pretty good" I concede. He laughs and shortens his staff so that it's a small pipe again.

"I was awesome" he corrects me. I roll my eyes but nod. He is an incredible fighter.

"Sandor" he says, his tone changing. He looks unsure and nervous. My interest peaks. "I need your help" he mumbles.

"Five and I are going on a date-" he begins but I interrupt him but whooping and high-fiving him. He laughs and shakes his head, amused by my antics.

"What's the problem then?" I ask. He blushes and shrugs.

"What do I wear? Where do I take her?" he asks. I narrow my eyes in thought, using my knowledge to help Nine. I _am_ the superior in this topic after all.

"Maybe a restaurant?" he suggests but I wrinkle my nose.

"No way, you love the girl so do something different. Restaurants are for first dates" I say. He nods and looks at my helplessly. An idea comes to mind and I grin wickedly.

"But if you really want to impress her, I have the perfect idea" I begin.

Xxx

Three

I sit on my bed, my head in my hands. I can hear throughout the house, people talking, kissing in John and Six's case, and training. But i'm sulking on my bed, wishing my life and feelings were different.

I didn't ask Two out. I tried but before I could ask her, we had an argument about Ella and my obvious feelings for her. I couldn't deny them and Two went mad, saying that she didn't want to go out with someone who liked someone else.

I don't blame her at all.

"Hey, everything ok?" I look up and see Eight at the doorway. Our rooms are next to each other and he must have seen me here, looking depressed.

"Not really" I admit. Eight nods and comes over, sitting down next to me. He looks serious and I realise he knows _exactly _how I feel.

"Girl problems, huh?" he asks. I nod and grin despite the situation.

"Stupid, right? We're in the middle of the war and all I can think about are them" I say. Eight's eyebrows raise.

"Them?" he asks. I laugh bitterly.

"Ella and Two" I say. He nods in understanding.

"Thank god I never had to worry about that" he mutters. To be honest, I would rather have my situation than know the girl I love would be destined to die.

"I like Two but there's something about Ella..." I trail off, unable to explain my feelings. Eight nods, knowing what I'm trying to say.

"Yeah, I know what you mean" he says. I sigh and look away from him.

"It's so damn hard!" I mutter angrily. Eight laughs and nods.

"Tell me about it. I have to go out with Marina tonight when I'm trying to distance myself. Thing is, I can't wait" he says. I look up at him sadly; he's got it ten times worse than me, he knows she's going to die.

"I hope you have fun" I manage. He snorts and nods.

"I will, that's the problem. I'll have too much fun and then we'll get back and she'll ignore me" he says. I bite my lip.

"Well, you _did_ dump her" I say. He laughs bitterly and looks up at me with a tight smile.

"Trust me, I know. Sometimes I regret it, but sometimes I feel like it was the right thing to do" he says. I shrug and look away.

"I don't know, dude. Are you _sure_ it was Marina that died in the dream?" I ask. He nods, his face crumpling in pain.

"Yeah, it was her all right" he says. I sigh and look down, the tension in the room unbearable.

"Anyway, I'll leave you to your thoughts" Eight says, quickly leaving the room. Guessing by the tears in his eyes, he's not leaving for my sake.

I get up and head downstairs, not wanting to be on my own anymore. I can hear Five talking to Adam and Nine in her room but I don't want to go and join them. That would be awkward.

"Hey Three" I pass Marina on the stairs and I smile at her, glad to realise my crush has finally gone. She carries on as I head down.

I walk into the lounge and almost groan; Two _and_ Ella are both sat in here, watching the TV. I want to head out of the room at once but they both look at me expectantly. Ella's smiling whilst Two is glaring. I decide to sit next to Ella seeing as she's not looking like she wants to kill me.

"So, what are you watching?" I ask, settling down comfortably. Two shrugs and glares even more but Ella smiles calmly.

"Not sure really... it's just background noise" she says. I nod and smile, feeling my heart pick up at her returning one.

"When are we training?" I ask. We train twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

"Um, it was cancelled. Apparently, the others are going out on a date tonight so we don't have to train either" she informs me. I whoop and fist-pump, thrilled I don't have to train. I want to save my planet, obviously, but I hate training all the time. It sucks.

Two suddenly stands up and goes, my heart falling as she leaves. I've clearly hurt her deeply and I don't know what to do to make her hate me less.

"I guess your talk didn't go well then" I look up to see Ella smiling at me gently. I shake my head sadly.

"No, we ended up arguing" I say. She nods and gently takes my hand. My hand tingles where she touches it and both our cheeks heat up.

"About what?" she asks. I swallow but then decide to tell her the truth. She'll hear of it eventually.

"You. We were arguing about you" I say, looking away. She falters and then squeezes my hand.

"Why?" she asks. I shrug desolately and then turn back to her, confused.

"Becuase I like you too" I admit. She smiles without meaning to and I feel my heart lift, more than it did when Two admitted her feelings for me.

"I think you need to choose Three" she says. I nod, knowing she's right. Playing around with their feelings is cruel.

"Yeah, I will" I say, determined to choose tonight. I need to spare all of our feelings.

"Don't bother" I look up to see Two at the doorway. She looks at me with so much hate that I falter and I can't speak. Ella stands up, shaking her head quickly.

"Calm down, Two! It's not like that! I'm helping him!" she says. I nod and stand up too, trying to explain myself.

"Please don't get angry!" I plead. She bites her lip in confusion and then turns and runs away. I yell in frustration and without thinking, punch a mirror on the wall. Ella cries out in shock and jumps out of the way as fragments fall around me. My knuckles become bloody whilst pain lances through my fist.

"What the hell?!" I hear shouting as the others run downstairs, thinking there's an attack. Nine is the one who shouted and looks around confused as Ella stands on the couch.

I turn and run out of the house.

Xxx

Unknown

I walk down the corridor, Agent Walker next to me. I never liked the woman but now that I know she's firmly on the mogs' side and not on the Loric's, I really don't trust her. However, she has connections with the mogs and that's the only reason she's attending this meeting with Agents Roberts and I.

"I don't see how the Loric are getting away from you so easily" Walker mutters snidely. I clench my jaw but don't answer her. I don't know whether she suspects us or not but I don't want to give anything away in case.

"It's not as simple as you think" Roberts says. Walker snorts and rolls her eyes rudely.

"It wasn't hard for me to catch them" she replies. I laugh shortly.

"Yes but it was easy for them to escape" I say. She clenches her jaw and looks away, but Roberts grins at me.

We enter the room and Derakus looks up from his desk. His face is murderous and I know at once, he's found out about our betrayal.

"Good morning-" Walker continues on ahead as though nothing is the problem. She doesn't realise the danger, whilst Roberts and I do, hanging back.

Derakus races forward in seconds and grabs her by the neck before she can react. She makes a muffled cry as she's held up in the air, being shaken around. I grab my gun and aim it at him, my hands shaking.

"Let go of her!" Roberts shouts, her gun also out. Derakus laughs and with a kick twist, snaps Walker's neck. She falls to the ground, dead, as I stare on in shock.

Derakus lunges forward for Roberts but I'm in front of her with my gun aimed at his temple. One shot and he's dead.

"Don't push me boy" he growls, taking a step forward. I unlock the safety on the gun and he stops.

"Never mess with us again, Agent Roberts otherwise you'll be the next one. Humans are _nothing_ against the Mogadorians" he snarls, spitting on Walker's body. I wince but continue to hold my gun out in front of me. Derakus growls at me but turns and walks away, his long black coat flapping behind him as he leaves the room.

I turn to Agent Roberts shocked as she stands behind me, her face pale. She swallows and then her eyes fix on me, haunted.

"We need to get the Loric's help and fast" she says, stepping over the body of Agent Walker.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed! As you can tell, the next chapter will be a fluff one with some dates. I thought they deserved some peace :)**

**Question: What do you think will happen romance-wise in the Fall of Five?**

**Please review!**


	55. Chapter 55

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies...

Hi guys!

**I am sooooo sorry for not updating sooner. Basically, I'm on holiday and we didn't get Wi-Fi till today which has really pissed me off. I was going to update three days ago but I couldn't since we didn't get the Wi-Fi we paid for. Anyway I have it now but it's _very_ temperamental so updates may be a bit slow.**

Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews. You guys are as nice and consistent as ever :D thank you all sooooo much!

Thirdly, any ideas for the sequel's title? I have the 'Revenge of Ten' but revenge is a bit common so if you guys have any ideas, please say! :)

I really hope you enjoy!

* * *

Marina

I pull my hair into a ponytail, my body a bundle of nerves. I want to look good, even though Eight and I are trying to keep a distance. This 'date' completely contradicts that idea.

I zip up my new coat, admiring it. I bought it a week ago because I lost my last one but I really like this one. It makes me look super slim and I know Eight will like this.

There I go again with wanting to look good for him.

I grab a pair of gloves and stuff them into my over-the-shoulder bag. Eight said we were going to an open air ice-rink and since it's winter here in Vancouver, it's going to be very cold. I take one last look in the mirror and then leave my room, nervous about this date. I refuse to let anything romantic happen between us; I don't want to hurt Eight more than necessary.

I've recently come to the decision that instead of hating Eight's choice, I'll respect it and help him. However, this date will not aid him at all, in fact I'm sure it will bring us closer. That won't help him in the long run which is why I was so angry with Six.

I reach the lounge but it's just Eight and the Cepans there. I think Six is still getting ready but I'm not sure about the others. Eight's dressed up just as warmly as me but he still manages to look gorgeous. I blush and look away, really wishing this were not happening. All the feelings I've kept bottled up for him have come rushing out and all I want to do is be back with him, like how we used to be.

"Right, have fun" Sandor says brusquely as he enters the room. He's wearing a suit and carrying a coat; he's going out too.

"Where are you going?" Nine asks, entering the room. He's not dressed up in any smart clothes, so his and Five's date must be pretty laidback.

"Just out and about" Sandor replies, a blush on his cheeks. I roll my eyes and Nine does the same; we all know he's going out to look for some girls. According to Nine, he used to do that all the time in Chicago.

"You two off?" Nine asks. I nod and head over to the door, Eight nervously following. Like me, his mind is a mess of excitement yet dread.

"Yep, see you later and have fun" I call, leaving the house. I hear him reply with the same wishes but I'm too busy pulling my gloves on. It's freezing out here.

"Um, do you want to walk or drive?" Eight asks, shifting on his feet. I shrug and then motion towards the car.

"It'll be warmer and quicker" I say. He nods and gets into the drivers' side. I can see how nervous he is by his tense position. It's funny, one minute we were as close as possible but now we're doing all we can to avoid each other.

"How was your day?" he asks, his hands clenching the steering wheel as he easily navigates through the city traffic. I shrug and bite my lip.

"It was ok. Did a lot of training" I say. He nods and furrows his brow as he steers through a particularly difficult spot.

"I've noticed that; you've improved a lot. You're a good fighter" he compliments me and I blush in pride. Finally, I've achieved what I always wanted: to be a soldier.

"Thank you" I reply, watching as he switches on the radio and automatically turns it to my favourite station. Without noticing both him and I are settling into our old comfortable routine. This was the danger I was worried about, that old habits would overwhelm our sense.

"I hope Three sorts out his problems" Eight says, smiling at me before focusing back on the road. I nod, a smile also on my face.

"I know. I sort of feel sorry for him, even though he likes Ella" I say, my protective nature kicking in. Eight laughs and then reaches across, briefly placing his hand over mine. I can feel the warmth through my gloves.

"I _knew_ you'd be terrible when she finally likes a guy" he says triumphantly. I shake my head, sighing quietly when he withdraws his hand.

"I'm not... Well, ok I might be but someone has to look after her!" I defend myself. All trace of nerves has gone and I find myself relaxing in my seat.

"We all do, but you and Nine are the worst" he says, grinning. I roll my eyes, knowing that I should be distancing myself but I can't help myself. I love him too much to stay away and it scares me.

We pull up to the car park and nerves of a different kind enter me; I've never been ice-skating in my life. I know if we injure ourselves, I can fix us up but I'm still scared. It's stupid really but I can't help myself. You can't help but be scared of the unknown.

I get out of the car, looking around in awe. It's beautiful here, Christmas lights twinkling on the buildings nearby. The open ice rink is in a square filled with cute little shops, cafés and restaurants. Christmas music blares from some speakers nearby and I laugh, looking around in amazement.

"It's beautiful" I whisper. Eight nods and grins ruefully.

"I never even realised it was Christmas soon until today" he says. I nod and grin.

"Well, I suppose we have bigger things to worry about" I muse. He nods and motions me forwards, towards the small hut where we buy our tickets. We get through easily and head to the skates area, my stomach clenching nervously. I'm going to completely embarrass myself.

I take my skates and head over to some chairs, where Eight is already lacing his up. I manage to squeeze my feet in properly but then falter when I look at the laces. How on earth do I work this out?

"Need some help?" I turn to see Eight grinning kindly at me. I nod and smile when he bends down, helping me out efficiently. I can't help but admire him and I see I'm not the only one. A nearby group of girls are looking at Eight with interest and I can't help but grin. He's with me, not them.

"Right, all done" he says, standing up and offering me a hand. I stand up and immediately wobble, staring at him with wide eyes.

"How the hell do people do this?" I say, difficultly manoeuvring my way towards the rink. I can see people already out there, skating elegantly. I'm going to be a mess.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine" Eight says, getting onto the ice and skating away perfectly. I realise walking on water must be a lot like skating, that's why he's such a pro at it.

I nervously step onto the ice and grimace at the slippery surface. I take a breath and place the other foot done, all whilst clinging to the barrier. I take a very cautious step forward and smile slightly when I don't fall over. I take another, more confident, step when I feel my feet slip out from under me and I crash to the floor.

Pain lances through me and I grimace, my cheeks flushing in embarrassment. Eight, who had been watching me amused nearby, smiles and comes over immediately. He helps me stand, brushing the ice off my jacket. I'm still blushing but he grins at me.

"Hm, I think you need some practice" he says kindly, holding his gloved hand out to me. I should say no, keep a distance between us but I don't and I take it anyway. I see the smile on his face and torment twists through me. We both know this will not help us get over our feelings but we can't help it.

Well, he might as well get some good memories of me before I die.

"Now I know why you chose this as our date, you can actually skate" I accuse him. He shrugs and grins cheekily at me, making my breath stop. This is so similar to how we used to be that it hurts.

"Sorry, but I like to impress" he teases, holding my hand tightly in his as I take another step. I slip slightly and he wraps an arm around my waist, helping me balance. I can't help but lean closer to him even though this is wrong.

Maybe Six was right, maybe we're being idiots.

"Ok, just take a step forward and then glide" he instructs. I do as he says but I think it's only his strong arm around my waist that keeps me upright. I smile shakily at him as I sort of glide to the end of the rink.

"Maybe it's not so hard" I say. Eight grins and nods, still clutching onto my waist and my hand. Not that I can complain. I've missed this close contact so much that I don't care that tomorrow we might be back to distancing ourselves.

I move forwards again just as a couple of kids speed past, knocking into me. With my terrible balance I slip and fall to the ground, just as Eight reaches forward to catch me. Both of us slip and we tumble to the floor, me on top of him. I blush as I realise how close we are but Eight fortunately makes things better.

"What was that about it being easy?" he teases, helping me get up.

Xxx

"Thanks for tonight" I say, smiling at him as we stand outside my room. None of the others have returned yet but I was tired after our long skating session so we came home.

After we had been on the rink, Eight had bought some food from one of the few Christmas stalls dotted around. We had huddled together with hot chocolate and food, the cold helping the Christmas atmosphere. We had eventually come home from tiredness and cold.

"You're welcome. It was fun" he says. I grin and lean against my doorframe, stifling a yawn. I don't want to go and end this perfect evening. Tomorrow, we'll go back to normal distance and I hate the thought of that.

"We should do it again... if we can" I say, sighing. He nods, grinning ruefully at me.

"But then the war sort of makes the free time we have even better" he says. I smile and laugh.

"Ironic, huh?" I comment. He nods and then sighs, looking away.

"You should probably go and get some sleep" he says. I nod and catch his hand, looking earnestly into his eyes.

"Thanks again... it was amazing" I say. He nods, looking torn. I turn away and open my door, sighing that things have to end.

Suddenly I can feel my wrist grabbed and I turn in confusion. Before I can say anything, Eight bends down and kisses me. My instincts take over and I kiss him back.

I never realised how much I missed being with Eight, kissing him and tangling my hands in his air. How much I enjoyed his arms wrapping around me and pulling me tight against him. How safe I felt in his arms. Our lips move together, quickly and passionately, knowing the spell can be broken any minute. This is wrong but oh so right at the same time. I know I should stop but I can't.

He presses closer, trapping me between him and the wall. He groans, deep in his throat, and that sound causes cold reality to wash over me. I push him away, looking away from him. My lips burn and I want him to come back, to kiss me again. But mind wins over heart this time.

"I'm sorry... we shouldn't have done that" I whisper. He nods and looks away, swallowing a couple of times.

"It was my fault" he says, his face working. I want to reach out and comfort him but then I know neither of us will fight the temptation.

I can't stand seeing his stricken face and I choke out another apology before running into my room, shutting the door behind me.

Once I'm hidden under my covers, the crying begins.

Xxx

Nine

"You're kidding me"

I grin and shrug at an incredulous Five. She wanted different, I got her different. Guessing by her open mouth, she didn't expect this.

"You wanted me to do something special" I defend myself. She nods, coming down the steps, her mouth still agape.

"Yeah, but not this" she says, looking at the gleaming motorbike in admiration. I can see a grin creeping onto her face and I mentally fist-pump. I knew she'd like this kind of date.

"I thought girls thought guys on motorbikes were hot" I say. She rolls her eyes, running her hand down the bike. She's fully grinning by now and I grin myself, Sandor was so right. He knows she's just as reckless as me and also loves adrenalin rushes.

"You might need this" I say, offering her a helmet. She rolls her eyes again and doesn't take it.

"Nine, I fight mogs on a day to day basis... I don't need a helmet" she says. I grin and nod, taking mine off too. Like I said, we're idiots.

I get on to the front of the motorbike, Five getting on at the back. She wraps her arms around my chest tightly, her breath tickling the back of my neck. I grin and rev the engine, making her laugh.

We race off; gravel shooting up from the accelerating wheels. We speed off down the road, the wind whipping past us. I speed up till it feels like we're a blur and I hear Five whoop behind me. I'm taking her to the mountains surrounding Vancouver. Not right up in the top but far enough away so we can get a good view and even better, privacy.

We ride the bike for about half an hour, pushing the bike to its limits. I think I go around 140 miles per hour but guessing by Five's hoots behind me and my own, we're both loving this. Vancouver is far behind us now and I pull over after a while, once we reach a small pullover where people can stop to take pictures during the day. I park the bike here, switching it off with ease.

"Look, down here" I look over at Five's call and smile when she nimbly climbs down the steep slope. I follow her, using my anti-gravity to help me out. I finally see where she's pointing at; a ridge that juts out a little. There are a couple of trees and grass; perfect for privacy.

I jump down onto the grass, smiling when I see Five sit down and grin at me. She's by the edge and I see exactly why she chose this spot. We have a perfect view of Vancouver, sparkling in the distance. It takes my breath away and I smile, completely at peace.

"I'll just be right back" I say, sprinting back up the slope. I go to the small compartment at the back of my bike, where I stored a thick blanket and a bottle of bourbon. I grin and go back down the slope.

"We have a feast!" I announce grandly, brandishing the bottle. She laughs and reaches for the blanket, wrapping it around her shoulders. I settle down next to her, pulling her to me. She cuddles closer to me as I wrap the blanket around both of us.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she whispers, her breath fogging in the cold. I nod, resting my head on her hair.

"Is this where you want me to say 'not as beautiful as you'?" I tease. She laughs and shakes her head, pulling the blanket closer to her and pulling her legs up so she's like a ball under it. I lean against a tree, my arm still around her waist.

I open up the bottle of bourbon, taking a swig from it. It was the only alcohol available to take from the house but it'll warm us up. Sure enough, my blood boils and I can feel delicious warmth seep through my body.

I offer the bottle to Five and she takes a gulp, her eyes widening at the sensation. I laugh as she takes another long gulp before I prise the bottle from her fingers, taking a sip from it myself.

"Don't waste it all at once" I say. She pouts but snuggles closer to me, pressing her cold face against my neck. I squirm out of the way.

"Jesus, you're cold!" I yelp and she giggles, sticking her tongue out at me.

"Warm me up then" she suggests, a wicked grin on her face. I lean forward, capturing her wrists in my hands.

"Maybe I will" I reply, my voice slightly husky.

Our lips meet, our cold faces pressing against each other. Her hands go to my jacket, pulling me closer. The bottle of Bourbon is discarded, spilling out onto the grass. The blanket tangles between us as we move closer, our intensity picking up.

I eventually pull back and quickly save the rest of the bourbon, whilst Five snuggles closer to me. She grins up at me and I smile gently back, stroking some hair away from her face. She reaches out for the bourbon and I roll my eyes as she takes a long drink.

"Don't get drunk on me. I'm not holding your hair back if you get sick... no matter how much I love you" I say. She sticks her tongue out at me.

"I have a strong tolerance to alcohol" she argues. I nudge her gently and she squirms away, giggling. Unbelievable, she's tipsy already.

"Right, as you are showing no signs of being affected right now" I say sarcastically. She grins wickedly.

"Maybe _you're _affecting me, not the alcohol" she says, leaning up and pressing a kiss to my jaw. She continues to trail kisses along my neck until I gently push her away. Most guys would think I'm mad; this is the second time in a week I've pushed a hot girl away from me.

"No, I'm pretty sure it's the alcohol" I say, struggling to uncurl her hands from the bottle. In the end I succeed and pour the contents out on the grass, making Five pout. She looks so cute I bend down and press a chaste kiss to her lips.

"Aw, you're no fun" she complains. She gets up and playfully goes towards the edge of the ridge, where there's a steep drop. I sigh and raise my eyebrow.

"Really? Do you have to do that?" I say, knowing she's trying to prove a point. She laughs and nods, apparently not feeling the cold.

She's crap with alcohol, she really is. I didn't think it was possible for someone to get tipsy after a couple of drinks.

"You better watch out" she warns. "The drunk girl might fall over the edge" she teases. I roll my eyes again and shrug.

"Fun entertainment" I retort. She laughs and edges closer.

"You're lying. If something happened to me, you'd be miserable" she says, pulling a sad face and making me laugh. I stand up and walk over, steadying her because she may not admit it, but she is swaying a bit too much for my liking.

"Yeah, yeah I would. No point denying it" I say. She grins and presses closer to me. I bend down ad our lips connect, the taste of bourbon on both of our tongues. Five pulls away and slips out of my arms, sitting down and wrapping the blanket around herself.

"I'm cold... and tired" she mutters cutely as I go over and sit next to her again. I laugh and kiss her hair, pulling her close to me.

"Do you want to go home?" I ask. She shakes her head.

"Not yet" she replies, snuggling close into me. I rest my head on hers, enjoying the view and the company.

We don't go home for a while.

Xxx

Six

"Oh my god, I'm so full!" I groan as we wander slowly along the pavement. John laughs at me gently.

"Nobody made you eat all that food" he reasons, taking a hold of my hand. I nod quickly.

"The food did. I felt so guilty leaving it so I had no choice" I say. John laughs again, kissing my cheek.

"Right, ok. You had no choice" he repeats sarcastically. I poke my tongue out at him and he grins.

"You're being mean" I accuse him. He shrugs innocently.

"You're being silly" he retorts. I sigh sadly.

"A silly girl in pain" I say, flopping down on a near bench. "I think I might explode" I say.

"That's not possible... unless it's a new legacy" he muses. I laugh and lean my head on his shoulder when he joins me.

"How would that be a useful legacy? To explode?!" I say, both of us dissolving into laughter. John shrugs.

"Hey, we just watched a film about people being taken over by soul things so I think exploding is perfectly reasonable" he says, referring to the film, The Host, we watched earlier. I roll my eyes.

"John, that's not real!" I say. He raises his eyebrows.

"How do I know this is really Six talking and not some alien invader to try and persuade me that it's not real?" he says, grinning at me. I hit his arm gently.

"You're an idiot!" I say. He grins.

"Ha, you can't answer! I'm now officially suspicious!" he says. I groan and lean into him, his arm wrapping around me automatically.

"I can't believe we're actually having this conversation" I say. He grins and shrugs.

"Well, you _are_ dating me. What did you expect?" he asks. I giggle and kiss his cheek.

"Some sensibility!" I say. "You are Pittacus' heir after all!" He nuzzles my neck and kisses the skin there softly. I gasp quietly but try to cover it up.

"Hm, that sucks. Everyone will expect me to be the leader and always be in charge" he mumbles. I laugh and shake my head.

"Oh no, in this relationship I am clearly in charge" I challenge. He grins and raises an eyebrow.

"Oh really?" he says. I grin wickedly.

"Definitely" I say. He frowns a little and then shrugs.

"Prove it" he mutters, leaning down to kiss me. I kiss him back at once, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing closer. There's an intensity in our kiss that has never been there before and this isn't enough, I want more. I've wanted more for a long time but tonight, I've reached my limit when it comes to being patient.

We both want much more than kisses.

I pull back, both of us breathing heavily. I can tell by the look in his eyes that he wants me and I feel the same. Excitement fists in my stomach and I stand up quickly, desire racing through my veins.

"Let's go home" I say, dragging him to the car.

(Slightly suggestive scene so if you're too young or have strict parents, don't read :D )

Xxx

I wake up slowly in the morning, lying on my front with my back warming in the sunlight streaming through the window. The sheets are pooled around my waist and I stretch, groaning softly. I turn my head and a soft smile appears on my face when I see John already awake next to me.

I think back to what we did last night and a blush appears on my neck and face. I think of the way his lips ran along my skin, the way he looked me in the eyes with so much love, the way he held me so close to him.

It had been perfect.

I roll over and pull the sheets up so I can cover my naked body from him. He grins and reaches out for me, pulling me to his body. I lie propped up on his chest, the sheet the thinnest barrier between us.

"Good morning" he says. The sound of his voice makes me blush more and he chuckles gently, reaching out and brushing the hair from my face.

"Hey" I reply quietly, not sure what else to say. I don't regret last night at all, in fact it was the best night of my life. But still, I don't know exactly what to say.

"Did you have a nice sleep?" he asks. I laugh, finally relaxing a little.

"When I had the chance, yes I did" I reply. He grins and leans forward, bringing our faces together. We kiss slowly, lazily. We're simply enjoying the others' presence and the chance to relax, even if it's only for a while.

I pull away and look towards the clock on the bedside table. I groan when I see the time.

"Ugh, we're going to have to start training soon" I complain. John laughs and shrugs.

"They've already begun... we've been given the morning off" he says, a cheeky grin on his face. I blush at once.

"The others know?" I ask but not that bothered. I lie down, my head on his bare chest. His arm goes around me at once, curling around my waist where his fingers lightly stroke my skin. I shiver and shut my eyes, memories from last night overwhelming me. Despite everything we did, I still want him.

"Well, Five and Marina would have known at once and Nine forced it out of Five" he says. I look up at him confused; how does he know this?

"I went down this morning to get a drink and Nine was there" he explains when he sees my look. I nod and smile, already imagining what Nine would have said to John.

"Let me guess, you got a lot of jokes" I say. John laughs and nods, still lightly stroking my hip.

"Yep but I think he's probably jealous" he says smugly. I roll my eyes and prop myself up to gently glare at him.

"Such a guy thing, to be proud about sleeping with a girl and then rubbing it in" I say. He grins and shrugs.

"Can you blame me?" he says, leaning forwards and stopping me from answering. We kiss for a while until my stomach grumbles loudly, making us both pull back and grin.

"Would Madame like breakfast?" he asks grandly. I laugh and shove him lightly as I get out of bed.

"Madame would _adore_ breakfast" I say, pulling one if John's t-shirts on and a pair of shorts. He pulls on some sweatpants and another shirt.

We slowly amble down the stairs, our hands linked and stupid smiles on our faces. I can hear some of the others outside but I don't care if they know. What matters to me is John and I.

We enter the kitchen and John begins to make some pancakes, whilst I sit on one of the stools. I'm hopeless at cooking and am not even going to try. A fire would definitely ruin this perfect morning. John pours out some already-made coffee with telekinesis as he easily mixes the batter. I grin and stir some milk and sugar in my drink, sipping from it carefully.

"Oh, you're awake" I look away from John to see Marina standing there awkwardly. She blushes when looking at both of us and her eyes fall to the floor quickly. I suddenly understand her shyness; she would have heard and read everything in our minds from last night. I guess experiencing your best friend's sex life _is_ awkward.

"Coffee?" John offers her, winking at me. I can't help but grin at her nervousness. It _is_ pretty funny.

"Um, no thanks... just came for this" she mutters, randomly grabbing a banana off the side. John grins at her, finding it fun to tease her.

"Interesting choice of fruit you went for" he says casually. I stifle a laugh as Marina turns even redder. She quickly returns the fruit to the side before running out of the room again.

"Bully" I accuse, leaning forward and wrapping my arms around him. He grins and bends down, kissing me quickly before tending to the pancakes again.

"It was fun" he excuses himself. I grin and shrug, turning back to my coffee as John puts the pancakes on a plate. He dumps an insane amount of syrup on them and brings them over to me, sitting down next to me. We share a plate, both of us picking at the food.

"Do you want a heart attack?" I tease, pointing to the syrup. He grins cheekily at me.

"It tastes better" he defends himself. I grin and peck his cheek quickly. We continue to eat in silence until we're done.

"So, we have the whole morning to ourselves... what do you want to do?" he asks, suggestively. I roll my eyes and hit his arm gently.

"_I'm_ going to shower because I need to train" I say. He grins and looks at me pleadingly.

"Can I join?" he asks cheekily. I laugh and shake my head.

"No! You can wait for _that_ later!" I say. He grins and leans forward, kissing me.

"Sounds like a promise" he says. I roll my eyes but wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back.

* * *

**Ok, so a lot of fluff but I felt like they needed it :) but much more action soon!**

**Next chapter: A big revelation, a fight and a new POV! :D**

**So please review despite me being such a lousy updater!**


	56. Chapter 56

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...

Hi guys!

Thank you all soooo much for your lovely reviews! We have over 800! I really didn't see this happening and it's all down to you guys! Thank you so much!

Secondly, please please read 'The Retaliation of Seven' by Insert.. It's the sequel to the 'Hunt of Five' and is _amazing!_ Also, you should read 'Before I touch the Ground' by the alphabet soup. It's one-shots about Marina and Eight and is also amazing!

This chapter is dedicated to 'zackiziane' whose review was absolutely right about the whole Marina/death thing. That's about to come up right now in this chapter, so don't worry about having to read it :D

Thanks for everyone's suggestions for a name and I'm still unsure of what to call the sequel. This story is almost over but I will post a small epilogue along with a notice, when I post the next story :D

* * *

Eight

_I'm standing on a field, blood and ash everywhere. I see dead bodies lying around but I can't see clearly enough to tell who they are. I can feel my body shaking and sobs escaping me as I stumble around. I have a huge cut on my arm which is gushing blood but I don't seem to care._

_My foot catches something and I tumble down, landing on something soft. A body. With a cry, I back off, horror clouding my vision. Pain rips through me as I see Marina on the ground, lying on her back. Blood stains her chest and guessing by the pallor of her skin under her tan, she's long dead. _

_"No" I whisper, reaching out and grasping her hand. It lies limply in mine and another sob chokes its way in my throat. She can't be dead._

_I hear a shout but I ignore it, gathering her body into my arms. I'm sobbing properly now, grief and pain overwhelming me. I don't care if a mog comes for me, I can join her then and we can be together._

_"There you are!" I look up to see Nine shout to me. He looks just as beaten up and a lot grimmer than I've ever seen him but he's still looking determined._

_"Come on, we have to go! Setrakus is still out there!" he shouts. I want to reply that I'm not leaving Marina but it's not me speaking. I have no control over what I do._

_"She's dead" I whisper or the person that will be me whispers. Nine nods seriously and sighs._

_"I know... but we have to go" he says, reaching down and grasping me by the arm. He shakes me quickly as I amble behind him, too slow for his liking._

_"Pull it together Marco!" he yells, dragging me away from her. Whilst my body's moving, my mind is in shock. Marco? "Now Terentia's dead, we need all the help we can get!" he yells._

I wake up.

I sit up in bed, shocked to my core. I have never gone that far in my dream, never met Nine and never been called Marco.

"That wasn't Nine" I mutter, trying to understand exactly what I just saw. That wasn't Nine... that wasn't me, that was my elder and that... that wasn't Marina. That was Terentia, her Elder, the one I got confused with Marina in a previous dream.

Marina doesn't die.

I bolt out of bed, a huge smile on my face. My body is literally buzzing in joy and relief and I'm shaking. She doesn't die! I start crying in happiness; that is just how happy I am that she doesn't die. Or won't die in that battle, for definite. And that picture on the wall of her in New Mexico might be just like the one of me in India, we can avoid it.

I run out of my door, eagerly running up to Marina and Ella's door. I knock on it impatiently, needing to share with her the amazing news, needing to tell her I've been the biggest idiot ever.

Needing to tell her that I love her so much and always will.

"What?" Marina opens the door, her eyes blinking the sleep away. She looks so beautiful and I can't help but beam at her as she shuts it behind her, looking at me confused.

She doesn't die!

"I was wrong, you were always right!" I exclaim. She shakes her head sleepily.

"What are you talking about?!" she demands, crossing her arms. I grin and she looks even more confused.

"You don't die! My dream was wrong, it was looking back on the battle against Setrakus Ra with the original elders" I say. Her face jars in shock and I plough on.

"It was your elder, Terentia! And I was an Elder; I think I was called Marco. I never got to the part where I found out it wasn't you because I always woke up just before" I say. She still looks stunned and I laugh in joy.

"You don't die Marina! We can be together and-" my frantic talking is interrupted by a sharp slap to the face. I stumble back, the force behind it pretty impressive. I clutch my cheek more in shock than pain and stare at Marina confused. Since when is she violent?

"You _idiot_!" she exclaims. She pushes me in the chest and I stumble back some more.

"Do you know what I've been through?! What everyone else has been through?! Thinking I might die!" she demands. She looks angrier than I've ever seen her but I can see relief in her eyes.

"I didn't think" I mutter. She nods and crosses her arms furiously.

"No, you didn't! How can you presume that we'll go out because everything's ok?! You arrogant, annoying..." she runs out of words and shoves me again. I grab her wrists and hold her close.

"Let me go Eight!" she cries out. "Let me go! I've been through hell because I thought I was going to die and you want everything to go back to normal!" she yells. I can hear someone stir in the room next to hers and I try to shush her.

"Do you know what it's like, thinking you're going to die?!" she demands, her eyes filled with tears. She manages to free her hands and shoves me once more, the tears starting to stream down her face.

"Do...you...know-" she manages to whisper before succumbing to tears. I don't hesitate to reach out and hold her close to me.

"I'm so sorry" I whisper as I stroke her hair. She sobs freely into my arms, her body shaking. I suppose that every emotion she has been trying to suppress has overwhelmed her and she can't help herself anymore.

"It's ok" she whispers, her face buried in my shoulder. I lean my face on her head, taking comfort in her presence. I've missed this, missed _her._

She eventually stops crying but still leans in my arms, her own wrapped tightly around me. I kiss her hair, still murmuring nonsense in Indian; it's always made her feel calm.

"If it's any consolation, I've been in hell too" I whisper. She pulls back and smiles, her face lined with weariness.

"I know... it's been hard for you too" she says, reaching up and brushing a stray piece of hair from my face. I sigh and smile gently at her.

"Cup of tea?" I ask. She laughs and shakes her head at the normalness of the question.

"I'd love one"

Xxx

"And that's why I thought it was you" I finish off, having explained to her my dream. She's curled up on the opposite end of the sofa, a blanket over her legs and her hand clutching a cup of tea.

"I can understand why you'd get confused" Marina says, brushing a piece of hair back.

I shrug and take a sip of my own drink. The warm liquid runs through my body and I smile, already feeling better.

"I shouldn't have though. I should have known better" I say, still hating myself. Marina reaches out and clutches my hand, smiling kindly at me.

"It was an honest mistake to make. I don't hate you for it" she says. I smile in relief, glad she doesn't hate me. That had been my one constant worry; that she would never forgive me.

"I've still screwed things up between us though" I say. She shrugs a little and smiles at me.

"Have you? We're still friends, I still trust you with my life, you know me better than anyone... how is that screwing things up between us?" she asks. I smile and take another sip of my tea, not sure how to reply to that.

"I suppose" I say, not brave enough to say what I actually want to say. That I still love her and want to be more than friends. That she is everything to me.

"Eight" she looks me dead in the eyes. "What's wrong?" she asks.

Now is the time to say everything that I've wanted to say for days, for the two weeks we've been over.

"I love you, Marina. I always have and I wish that I had never broken up with you. I know this doesn't change a thing but I want us to be together again, like we used to be" I say in a rush. She bites her lip but doesn't say anything.

"And I've seen the way you've improved, trained, grown recently and it's made me love you all the more" I say. "I really deeply love you and will you go out with me... again?" I ask. She cracks a grin at that last bit and leans down, putting her mug down.

Before I can say anything else, she leans forward, taking my own mug and placing it on the floor also. I stare at her, watching her every move, until she leans forward and kisses me. I automatically wind one arm around her waist whilst the other tangles in her hair. I lie back down, her body propped up on mine as we kiss.

We finally pull back and she rests her head on my chest. I close my eyes, wrapping both arms around her in complete contentment.

"Was that a yes?" I ask, my voice still husky. She lifts her head back up and then to my dismay, pulls away. She grins at my look of confusion.

"It's a maybe" she says. I sit up fully now and furrow my brows.

"What?" I ask. She smiles and reaches out, stroking my cheek.

"I do love you Eight. But I also have respect for myself and this time, _I_ call the shots" she says.

"But, you can still be in control if we go out!" I protest. She laughs and leans forward, kissing my cheek.

"I'm sorry, Eight. But I don't know if i'm quite ready to having a relationship again. I want to be in control this time, not the one left reeling when you decide something" she says. I nod, dejected, until she reaches out and clasps my hand again.

"It wasn't a no, though" she says. I bite my lip confused as she gets up, walking back upstairs.

"You're playing hard to get" I accuse. She turns around and grins.

"Never" she says, but the smile gives her away her.

I groan and fall back on the couch as she leaves but I'm smiling. She really is something special.

Xxx

Six

Ok, I'm fed up with this whole mess.

I mean seriously?! Two likes Three, who likes her back but also likes Ella, who likes him as well. On top of that, Sam has now started to realise that Two _is_ a girl and is actually quite similar to him. Usually, this situation wouldn't bother me but this is affecting our training for the war and that _is_ a problem.

One I will sort out right now.

"Ok, sit down!" I instruct Three, who is ready to leave the room and the tension. Two and Ella are sat nearby, trying to avoid glaring at each other.

"What's going on?" Sam wanders in and I glare at him too. I'm not in such a great mood.

"Sit" I say, gesturing to a spare seat since he's sort of involved. He does as I ask and they all look up at me confused.

"Ok, this needs to stop. Right now!" I order as I pace around, my hands on my hips. Two bites her lip in confusion.

"What needs to stop?" Ella asks, her wide brown eyes staring at me innocently. I don't soften.

"This whole romantic shit! This whole absurd love triangle!" I rant, throwing my hands up in the air.

"You're all way too young to be thinking like this! So what, you all have a crush! Postpone it until you're older!" I say, glaring at them all. Most people might think this is an overreaction on my part, but they've been doing no training recently as a result of this drama because they don't want to be together. We need to train; it's the only way we'll win.

"No offense, but that's a bit hypocritical of you considering all your old drama with John" Sam mutters, his cheeks red. I scowl at him as I cross my arms.

"I _never_ neglected my duty to Lorien! I always continued to train and fight mogs... I never sat and sulked in my room" I retort. Two and Three are blushing deeply whilst Ella looks really guilty. I sigh and try to soften a bit.

"Look, sorry... that was harsh of me. But we really need you guys to cooperate and this situation won't help" I say gently. Ella nods and smiles weakly at me.

"Sorry Six, you're right" she says. Three nods determinedly whilst Two hides her face from me; I think I scared her.

"Good. Look, you can all have this problem once the war's over or even now but _only_ if you work together. That's what counts here" I say. Ella nods, determined to do me proud. I can't help but smile at her attitude.

"Cool, right well...that's me done" I say, stuffing my hands in pockets and turning to leave. I've just reached the door when Sam calls my name. I look back and raise my eyebrow questioningly as runs over.

"Just so you know, I wasn't developing a crush for Two... she's too young for me" he says as we leave. I can hear Two, Ella and Three beginning a conversation, trying to sort things out. I smile; my talk clearly got this to work.

"Sure you weren't" I say, grinning at him. He shrugs and looks out in the distance.

"She's not you" he whispers. My heart stops and I look down, heat flooding in my cheeks. I thought he had stopped liking me but apparently not.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make things awkward" he says. I continue to look away from his earnest face, biting my lip. I still like Sam but I'm love John and after being with him in every way possible, I would never end things.

"That's all right" I manage a smile. I feel terrible for Sam, I really do. He's left his family for us and this is what I do?

"Seriously Six, stop. I know you're upset but snap out of it" he says with a grin, echoing my earlier speech.

"You haven't quite got the glare right" I say, my mood lightening. He laughs and narrows his arms, still failing at his attempt.

"Well, you are really badass" he says. I laugh and shake my head.

"Sam, you're an idiot" I say, the line way too familiar. He laughs and nods.

"Yeah, I know"

Xxx

Five

I narrow my eyes at Nine as he stands opposite me, grinning in anticipation. He cracks his knuckles, taking his time and trying to scare me. Like that would seriously work on me. I stretch my arms out in front of me and then shake them, making myself ready for this fight.

Nine won't go easy on me, that's for sure.

He makes a start forward but I knew he was about to strike. I can read his mind after all and I know him too well. He races towards me with superspeed but I easily dodge, throwing a punch to his back as I spin past. I miss of course but it was worth a shot.

He lunges out and grabs my arm, spinning me around so I'll be pinned to his chest. I know better though and when he's turning me, I duck. This position makes my arm scream in pain but it gives me a great chance for a hit. I lash out and hit his knee, making him let go and stagger back. I'm up at once, taking steps away from him.

"Not bad" he says, his dark eyes darker than usual. He's menacing and I won't put it past him to hurt me. This is a fight after all.

"Thanks" I reply, slightly breathless. He's still eyeing up ways to attack and I shift in reply to his body changes.

He lunges out again and once more, I get out of the way. He turns with a kick but I duck and roll, getting nimbly to my feet again. He might be faster and stronger but I'm more agile and more intelligent.

As he's still trying to get his bearings, I lash out and strike him on his cheek. He grunts and stumbles back but soon replies with a much harder hit to my shoulder. I'm sent flying back and I tumble to the ground. I have the sense to turn invisible as he races over.

"Nice trick" he says, standing with a smirk on his face. I quickly get up and catch my breath, thinking of the best way to attack.

I lash out and land a blow to the back of his head but before I can get away, he grabs my arm and pulls me to him. His grip is too strong to break and unforgiving. We're both invisible now so I dig my elbow into what I think is his stomach. I hear him hiss but he doesn't let go.

"Did you think you would win?" he asks, his low voice in my ear. I take a deep breath and then try to make a break. All it succeeds in doing is making me face him. I turn visible, knowing for now, I'm stuck.

"You give up?" he asks, his voice taunting. His eyes are warm as he looks at me but I know he's deeply competitive.

"Never" I reply. Before he can say anything, I bring my knee up between his legs.

He howls and falls to the floor as I run to go but my legs are kicked out from under me. I crash to the floor as Nine crawls to me, his face still scrunched up in pain. I roll to get out of his way but he reaches out and grabs me by the throat, pinning me to the ground.

"That fucking hurt" he snarls, his eyes so dark they're black. I try to move out of the way but his grip on my throat tightens.

"Let-go-of-me!" I wheeze but he doesn't. I drive my fist into his stomach and he grunts as I wind him. I get up to run off again but he grabs me around the waist, throwing me face first onto the ground. He pins me with his body, one of my arms twisted painfully behind my back.

"Jesus, you need to calm down" I say, struggling futilely. He lets go and sits back on his heels. I get up at once and glare angrily at him as I rub my arm.

"So do you! That hurt!" he exclaimed. I bite my lip and shrug, trying not to grin at his disgruntled expression.

"Don't laugh" he groans, lying back down on the ground, a woeful look on his face. I can't help myself and giggle, making him cover his face with his hands.

"Aw, Nine, don't be angry" I say, tugging on his arm. He doesn't budge and I crawl over, lying so I'm partly on top of him. Our faces are tantalisingly close and I want nothing more than to kiss him.

"Don't be grumpy" I whisper, pressing small kisses to his throat. He groans again but this one is much more different from the earlier one.

"I'm not... just in extreme pain" he says but I know he's lying. I wait patiently for the punch line. "Will you kiss it better?" he says, a wicked grin on his face. I laugh and roll my eyes, not surprised at all by him.

"You're gonna have to think up better lines" I say. He grins and shrugs, not seeming worried.

"I've got time" I roll my eyes and push off from his chest.

"It's not going to work" I say. He laughs as he slowly ambles to his feet.

"Oh I haven't even started yet" he says arrogantly. I laugh and shake my head, seriously hoping he's joking.

I don't have great control around him

Xxx

"I'm so tired" I complain, as I enter my bedroom. Nine looks up from where he's been on his computer and grins.

"Why? You got up at 12 today" he says with a cheeky grin. I mock-glare at him and stick my tongue out maturely.

"I can still be tired!" I protest. "Turn around, I'm changing" I say, grabbing my pyjamas. Nine laughs and shakes his head.

"Ah! Crick in my neck! Can't move it!" he exclaims dramatically. I roll my eyes and raise an eyebrow.

"Perv! Close your eyes or I'll _make_ you" I say. Nine groans playfully but does as I ask whilst I quickly change. I pull on my long pyjama pants and long-sleeved top; I'm not bothered about putting on a cute pair of pyjamas for Nine.

"Right, you can open them now" he does as I say and grins when he sees me.

"No sexy nightgown?" he asks, grinning wickedly at me. I laugh and chuck a pillow at him.

"Nope! You have to earn that right" I say, climbing happily into bed. "Man, I hope beds in Lorien are this comfy" I say, spreading out contentedly.

"_That's _what you're worried about most?" Nine asks with a laugh, shutting his compute down and standing up. I nod, burying deeper into the covers so only my face is seen.

"Sleeping_ is_ important" I protest. Nine laughs again, peeling his shirt off and making me blush. I look away, knowing he'll have a smug smile on his face.

"Ok, if we ever win this war and return to Lorien, I'll let you sleep to 12 every day" he says. I grin and stretch out slightly, trying to get as much space as I can before Nine joins me.

"Deal" I yawn and then groan as Nine gets in, switching the lights off with telekinesis. He shoves me over at once, taking up most of the room.

"You're in my space" I complain, trying to shove him but he simply laughs.

"I need more space, I have more surface area" he says, wrapping an arm around my body and pulling me close. I can't really complain about that to be honest.

"Lose some weight then" I mutter. He laughs again and rolls over, trapping me between the mattress and him. He bends down, nuzzling my neck and my hands grip his shoulders.

"So you want me to get rid of all this?" he says, pressing his body to mine. I nod, not really paying attention to our conversation and more on his lips against mu neck.

"Yep" I whisper, pulling his lips back to mine. We kiss intensely, pushing even closer to the other. Things are really picking up when he pulls away groaning. I sit up, gasping for breath and missing his touch.

"Sorry, I just think we should get some sleep" he says evasively. I nod with a sigh and curl back into his arms as we settle down for the night.

I don't sleep very well at all.

Xxx

Ella

I roll over once more in bed, unable to get to sleep. After Six's pep talk earlier, I've been wracked with guilt. She's right, of course, she always is. Instead of preparing for fights, I've just spent my time obsessing over Three.

I sit up, my hair a mess around my head. I slowly get out of bed, my feet freezing instantly when they touch the cold floor. I stifle a yawn and slowly head out of my room, wanting a glass of water. I tiptoe past John and Six's room when I see something on the door.

_Went out for a date. Will be back later.  
John and Six xx_

I shake my head in amusement; those two are inseparable at the moment but I have no idea why. I shrug as I continue further downstairs. I slip into the kitchen and pour myself a glass of water. I sit on a stool and stare off in the distance, sort of sleepy now that I'm out of bed.

I need to train more, that's obvious. I had a big session with Nine earlier after Six's speech but I'll need to do that every day. I'm determined though; I know I can do it.

I also can't wait to develop more legacies. Marina said it's amazing enough that I've got my legacies this early so my next ones could take up to a year to come. But I want them now. I want to have a legacy where I can hurt or kill a mog with my mind. I want a legacy like Eight's or John's; an attack legacy.

I sigh and down the last of my water, hopping down from my stool. I turn around and put the glass in a sink when I feel something pressed against the back of my head. A gun barrel.

"One scream and you die" a voice whispers. I whimper but don't make any other sound. If that gun goes off, there's no way I can use telekinesis on the bullet.

"So, what's your number?" another voice asks, guiding me so that I'm pressed against a wall. I am literally stuck and I feel fear building up in me.

_Breathe, Ella, you have telepathy_

"Number Ten" I whisper as I focus my mind. I concentrate on Papa and try to summon my power.

_Papa! We're under attack! But you must be quiet!_

_Hm... _is all the reply I get. He's clearly still asleep and I still have a gun pressed to my head. I try to move a little but I'm shoved back so that I get the message.

"Ten... drug her, we'll get the others too" the first man says. I try to scream at this point but a cloth is pressed to my face. I desperately try to struggle against the hand but more hold me. I can't help but breathe in and my vision becomes cloudy.

I try one last attempt at breaking away but eventually I'm dragged into darkness.

Xxx

Derakus (evil mog guy)

I slowly take a long breath, inhaling the smoke from the cigarette and holding it in my lungs. A deep calm spreads over me and I release the breath, smoke escaping from my lips.

"Wonderful creations, these" I muse as I look at the cigarette in my hands. The Loric, Nine, snarls at me and tries to escape but I simply laugh. They're pathetic and stupid! How can they possibly think to defeat us Mogadorians?!

Capturing them was easy. We simply high jacked the house's radiator system and filtered it with a drug that knocked them unconscious whilst they slept. When we tied them up and stored them in the vans, we received no resistance.

"Where are you taking us?" I sigh at the generic question and turn to Number Eight who asked that.

"I really don't think it matters" I say, grinning at them. The Loric are all in this van whilst their friends are loaded in another van. Unfortunately, two of the scum, are missing and are still out on the loose. Though once they realise their friends have been captured, they'll come after us.

This is it. The end of the Loric.

"Where are the other two?" I ask, one of the weak_er_ Loric, Two. She whimpers and pales dramatically, making me laugh. How did these weaklings get away from us for so long?!

"I don't know" she whispers. I roll my eyes and draw my chair forwards, till I'm right in front of her. I look down at my cigarette, rolling it between my fingers. Two is about to faint by the looks of things and I laugh, leaning forward so our faces are almost touching.

"Where are they?" I repeat. She winces and tears begin to roll down her face.

"I swear, I don't-" she begins and I growl, not happy with this answer. I lift my cigarette and press the burning end against her cheek. She screeches and tries to move away but I simply laugh and hold her head in place.

"Let her go, you bastard!" Nine yells. I sigh and pull back from Two, my cigarette still on her cheek. Two is outright sobbing and Nine is desperately fighting against his bonds, glaring at me as though he could kill me. The others look equally angry but scared.

I pull the cigarette away, admiring the small burn on her cheek. I slap it _lightly,_ making her head snap back and slam against the wall of the truck. Her eyes roll back and she falls limp, unconscious.

Pathetic, it really is.

"I'll kill you" I laugh again at the shaky voice of number Three. He looks murderous but really, that doesn't bother me. After all, they're all chained up and not going anywhere.

"Aren't you a pretty thing?" I ignore Three and turn to my next target, Number Seven. She glares back at me and I grin wickedly.

"Get away from her" Number Eight, warns, his fists clenched. I laugh, really these Loric are so entertaining.

I walk over and take a strand of her hair, rolling it between my fingers. Much nicer than most Mogadorian women's' hair. I bend down and press our faces together, running my nose along her cheek and down her neck. I pass her pulse and I can feel her heart beating faster in fear.

"You're a sick pervert" I hear someone mutter but I ignore them, pressing a small kiss against Seven's neck. I can feel her tense hard and I chuckle, pulling back and pinching her cheek.

"You have lovely hair" I say, grinning when she recoils in disgust. I pull out a knife and she flinches, whilst others sling insults at me. Really? It's not going to make a difference.

I lightly run the dagger along her face and she winces, making me roll my eyes. They really are so weak.

"Where are Six and Four?" I ask. She shakes her head and bites her lip.

"I don't know" she replies. I sigh and then lash out, punching the wall next to her head. She jumps as I move away, looking around for another target.

"They're out... on a date" I look to see a small girl with red hair staring straight at me. "I don't know where they went but they went out" she says, her voice shaking. I sigh and nod; this is all I'm going to get from them.

I go to Number Five and Nine increases his yelling but I simply laugh again. I pull out a knife and run it along her skin, making a couple of drops of blood appear.

"I hear you're good with knives" I say, digging the point into her cheek. She winces but doesn't make a sound. Maybe these Loric have guts after all.

"Let's test that out shall we?" I ask, stabbing the knife into her cheek.

She screams. Nine shouts. I laugh.

* * *

So, Marina is playing hard to get and they've now been captured! This time is a whole lot different than the previous times so don't despair and say that i've got no more ideas left. Trust me, I have :D

Please review!


	57. Chapter 57

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies.

Hi guys!

Thank you all sooooo much for all the lovely reviews :D I really appreciate them all so much so thank you all so much :D

**_VERY IMPORTANT: _** I need to clear up some stuff about the sequel. It will be called the Revenge of Ten and this relates to the whole ten Loric who came to Earth, not Number Ten. This will continue directly on from this story. I just have too many chapters on this one, especially if I continue. This story will go to Chapter 60 which is an epilogue.

Coming up in the next story is: John forming into Pittacus which includes the legacies, more 5/9 (I've had loads of requests), the search for the items used to destroy Setrakus and potentially the final fight...

So read on!

* * *

John

I yawn as Six and I walk down the road to the house again. We'd gone out for a small walk with a takeaway, to get away from everyone. I love the others, I really do, but it's nice to be alone with Six for some time.

"God, I'm so tired" I mutter, as I stumble along. I haven't had a lot of sleep recently due to gruelling workout sessions and early mornings. Six yawns next to me and nods.

"I know, same. But I'm still glad we went out" she says. I nod quickly, squeezing her hand.

"Definitely, it's nice just being the two of us" I say. She grins and nods, as we turn the corner of the road to the house. I look closer, my gut telling me something's wrong. Six looks just as worried and bites her lip.

"John" she whispers quietly and then the house explodes.

I react at once, dragging Six down as I throw my body on hers, seeing as I'm fire-proof. I can hear a roaring sound as fire flows over me, singing my clothes and hair but not hurting me. I hear Six cry out briefly at the heat but I know she'll be ok. I protected her from the worst.

The initial wave stops and I slowly get off Six, prepared to duck again. She has a couple of small burns on her arms that I quickly heal as we both stand up. She looks around determined, her fists clenched. She's prepared for a fight and so am I.

"The others weren't in the house" she says, looking around. I nod, already having come to that conclusion.

"We would have had scars" I state. She nods, pulling out her sword. I stare at her in shock; I never knew she had that with her! Though this _is_ Six so that doesn't surprise me.

"Go check it out anyway" she says, nodding to the house. She's fully in survival mode and I nod, moving to the house and switching my Lumen on to see in the darkness. I creep into the house, still on fire but it doesn't bother me.

I creep through the kitchen but I can't find anything unusual except for the fire and ruins from the destruction. I continue through the house but none of the others were in here when it was destroyed. All the chests and weapons have been taken too.

I sigh and leave the house, going over to Six who is crouched on the ground. She looks up grimly at me, holding out a piece of paper that's slightly blackened.

"They left us this" she says, standing up and passing it to me. I look over it, groaning when I read it.

_We have your friends. If you want to be reunited, then you know where to find us.  
Derakus Shu_

"Mog general" Six says at my puzzled face. "He deals with the Government" she says. I look at her impressed.

"How do you know this?" I ask as she slowly wanders along the scorched ground. She grins wryly.

"What else would I do in the years I was on the run? I gathered information" she says. I nod and shake my head, looking out in the distance.

Suddenly there's a loud barking and I turn with a happy cry as BK bounds towards us. I see an entourage of other dogs also coming towards us and I laugh as the rest of the chimaera come towards us. Six grins, relieved that they're ok.

BK knocks into me, making me fall down. He jumps onto my chest, licking my face ecstatically. _You're ok! _He says eagerly. I laugh and gently pat him, sitting up in the process. Six's chimaera has turned into an eagle and settles on her shoulder. She grins down at me, despite the bad situation.

"At least we know you're all ok" I say as I stand up, looking at the chimaera. They're snarling and I understand their anger; they're concerned for their Loric. I don't understand why they wouldn't fight the mogs though.

"Ok, so where do you think they've been taken?" I ask, as we walk towards the woods. We need to hide even though I'm sure the chimaera would have dealt with anyone left behind.

"Not West Virginia, that's still destroyed" Six muses. I nod, looking out in the distance.

"They must have another base out there now" I say with a sigh. "But where, I have no idea"

One of the chimaera whines and I recognise it to be Ella's. I bend down and stroke it, understanding its fear. The link between the chimaera and the Garde are as strong as family.

"So basically, we have nothing" Six says. I sigh and nod, taking her hand as I stand up.

"Pretty much. They probably have our chests too, so we can't locate them" I say, a frown on my face. Six sighs and then groans, hitting her head.

"This is stupid! Couldn't they have survived one night without us?!" she demands. I shrug as I walk forwards again, something about the house slightly off.

"Look at the fire... it's still burning" I say. Six looks at me as though I'm mad.

"So?" she asks. I shrug.

"That's a lot of fire for not much material" I say. She scowls and then her face clears a little.

"You think the mogs put petrol on the place and made them run out?" she asks. I shake my head.

"No, I think they were drugged... via the system" I say, walking over to the house. Unfortunately, I can't see if my theory is right since the place is almost destroyed. BK whines and comes up to me, his tail drooped.

_They were all unconscious when they were loaded into the vans_

I turn to Six at once, my theory correct. "BK tells me they were drugged" I say. Six sighs and looks away, into the distance.

"Let's hope they're not killed"

Xxx

Two

We're chained in a circular room, our wrists chained high above our head. It's cold in here, making me shudder. All of us are here except for Adam. I don't know what they're doing to him but I can't imagine it to be good. He is a traitor after all. I'm terrified for him but also for myself and the others.

Derakus walks slowly around the room, savouring our fear. Apart from the burn on my cheek, he hasn't hurt me anymore and the same for the others. I don't know whether he's letting our imagination do all the work but it's working. I can see the absolute terror on Marina and Eight's face; they've been in this situation before and know what will come.

Nine is straining against his bonds, his eyes fixed on Five who has her own head down. Derakus also hurt her by stabbing her cheek but she seems ok. She's not fighting back like I expected which shows she's still a survivalist at heart.

"So" Derakus booms, making us all turn to him in confusion. "I think we should play a game" he says, grinning at us all.

I look away, not liking the sound of that suggestion. Whatever game we play will be fun for him but definitely not for us. Derakus looks around until his eyes land on Eight.

"You" he says. Two mogs run up at once and unlock the handcuffs from the chain pulling our arms up. Eight is dragged up and he glares at Derakus although the fear is evident in his eyes. Marina follows this all, her face tight with fear and desperation.

"What's your worst fear?" the mog asks Eight, pacing around him. Eight stares straight ahead, not acknowledging him at all.

"ANSWER ME!" Derakus yells, grabbing Eight in a headlock. I can't watch and cringe against the wall as I hear Eight gasp for breath for a couple of minutes. He's released at last and he collapses on the floor, breathing quickly. I open my eyes slowly, not sure I want to look.

"So, what's your greatest fear?" the mog taunts, kicking Eight roughly. I see him grimace and I look away, my eyes landing on Marina. She is pale and rigid, her gaze focused completely on Eight.

Eight still doesn't answer, his only form of resistance. Derakus snarls and bends down, dragging his body up. He grabs Eight's arm, twisting it painfully. He cries out in pain and Marina snaps.

"He's afraid of me being hurt!" she cries out, hating him being in pain. Derakus smiles and drops Eight, who is almost unconscious from pain. He tries to crawl up to stop the mog going any further but he doesn't do too well.

"Oh really?" Derakus asks. Marina nods, still looking at Eight. Derakus laughs and shakes his head, his laughter echoing throughout the room.

"Pathetic" he says, grabbing Eight and throwing him back into the wall where his chains are. The two mog assistants run over and chain Eight again, who's not looking so good.

"You're all pathetic!" Derakus yells, glaring at us all. He looks over at Five and a grin lights up on his face. He walks over, unchaining her himself and drags her back to the centre of the room. She struggles a little but it doesn't seem to have a big impact.

"Choose one to die... or I choose" he says, throwing her to her knees. She shakes her head at once, whilst Nine begins to really struggle against his chains. Derakus laughs and gets a gun out, loading it slowly with a bullet.

"Choose" he says, spinning the gun cartridge and then shutting it. Sort of like Russian Roulette. Five swallows in fear but shakes her head. Derakus pulls the trigger and I jump in horror but Five doesn't fall to the floor dead. There wasn't a bullet that time.

"Choose" he says again, the gun still at her head. Nine is looking horrified at Five and desperately tugs on his chains, blood running down his arms.

"For God's sake, Five, choose me!" he yells. Derakus laughs as Five shakes her head, not even looking at him.

"Choose" Derakus says again, pulling the trigger again. Once more, there's no bullet but I can almost everyone here is terrified for her.

"Choose" Derakus says again, loving every second of this. Five looks up, her face drawn in fear.

"Go. To. Hell" she says. Derakus laughs and pulls the trigger.

The gunshot muffles our screams.

Xxx

Unknown

"They have them"

I look up quickly from my fashion magazine, blushing at Roberts' look. It's not my fault that my younger sister's taste in trashy magazines is pretty infectious. I put it in a drawer and sit up, trying to look as though I'm not about to fall asleep.

"What?" I ask stupidly. Roberts sighs and I notice how tense and worried she looks.

"The Garde. The mogs have them" she says. I stand up at once, adrenalin and fear pounding through my veins.

"How?" I ask, brushing down my jacket. Roberts frowns and shrugs.

"Not sure, right now. But what matters is that they're with the mogs and this time, Derakus won't hold back" she says. I nod and we quickly, leave the room.

"Two of them were left behind or not found" Roberts informs me. I nod, a plan formulating in my mind.

"OK, we need to contact them" I say. Roberts nods and smiles tiredly at me.

"Already done. We located them pretty quickly. A team's on their way now" she says, her hand reaching for her gun. We burst into another room, where I see more agents wearing bullet-proof vests and guns strapped to them. They nod at us but don't make a move. We're waiting for a higher command.

"This is it, isn't it?" I ask Roberts. She nods and sighs, biting her lip.

"We need the Garde alive now... for Earth's sake" she says. She turns to me with a sad smile. "Thanks for everything that you've done" I shrug as I pull out my own gun, loading it.

"No problem" I say. I'm not one for feeling sentimental.

"What's the plan?" I ask. Roberts nods, turning business-like again.

"We're going to go in and try to persuade him to let them come to us... if that doesn't work then we send the team in" she says, referring to the group here now. They're completely prepared for a fight; guns strapped to them and they even have helmets.

"Where's Setrakus Ra?" I ask, nervously putting on my own bullet-proof vest. I wouldn't put it past Derakus to not turn violent. Roberts sighs.

"Not here... yet. I don't think he knows that we're against him now" she says. I nod and try to grin at her.

"Right, well, let's go" I say with a lot more confidence than I'm feeling.

Xxx

Nine

She's just lying there, the blood spilling from her head. I can't focus on anything else but her. One arm is flung out whilst the other is crossed over her chest. She looks so young, so vulnerable, so helpless.

And I can't do anything.

She's not dead though. I haven't got a scar yet which isn't such a bad sign. But I don't understand how she's not dead. The bullet got her head. Is Lorien keeping her alive?

I realise I'm shaking so badly and that I'm glaring daggers at Derakus, who is now pacing the room. Nearby, Ella is sobbing softly but I can't find it in me to cry. I've simply shut my emotions off and the only thing I can feel is hate.

Pure and utter hate.

The door opens and my head snaps towards it, relief filling me when I see medics enter. They rush over to Five, bending over her and attaching something to her head. _Something to help her breathe _some part of me realises.

Derakus simply watches as Five is strapped to a gurney, amusement playing on his face. I want to kill him so bad but first I need to know if Five will be all right.

"Will she be ok?" I call, ignoring everyone's looks on me. The medics don't even look up as they wheel her out of the room. She has to be ok. If she's not, my life will be over.

Metaphorically.

I close my eyes, thinking of her. I remember our first and potentially last date, where she'd joked about me without her. Pain flashes through me and I feel tears build behind my eyes. She can't die... she can't leave me. She just can't.

I hear the door open again and I look towards it, despite not really caring anymore. They've already done the worst they could possibly do. Two agents walk through, a ripped guy of about 30 and an older woman. They're both wearing bullet-proof vests and clutching guns.

"What a pleasant surprise" Derakus snarls, reaching for his own gun. Shit's about to go down, I guess.

"You need to let them go" the female agent orders. Derakus laughs and stares at them incredulously. I simply watch, interested in this exchange. It _looks_ like the agents are on our side.

"You honestly think you have power over me?" he asks. He pulls out the same gun he used to hurt Five. Pure anger knots in my stomach and I can feel a strange prickling in my skin, running all over me.

"Let them go" the male agent says again, his voice shaking. Derakus laughs and waves the gun at them, taunting them.

"I just killed one of the Garde with this... I'd like to see how you compare" he says. The feeling of my skin prickling gets worse but it's exhilarating. I reach out with one hand and my eyes widen with surprise as I feel myself snap the metal. I eagerly reach out with my other and snap the other handcuff.

I'm free.

Derakus laughs again at something the agents say when I'm up on my feet. I can hear a cry of alarm from two mogs by the wall but I ignore them. I race forwards with superspeed, elated to know that my powers have returned.

I tackle Derakus, throwing him into the nearest wall. He collapses into a heap at the bottom, surprise featuring on his face. He didn't expect me to become free. I turn to the two agents but don't kill them. They wanted to free us so I'll leave them for now.

"Nine! Free us!" I hear someone call but Derakus has gotten to his feet again. I see the female agent run over with a key towards Eight. She really is helping us.

Or it's a trick.

Derakus lunges for me but I easily dodge. I kick out and Derakus trips; he's pathetic really. I throw a punch towards him and it hits him square in the face, making him groan in pain. I jerk him up, my face in a feral grin.

"Nine, back off" I turn slightly to see Marina nearby, rubbing her wrists. Eight is dealing with the other two mogs, easily sorting them out now that he's recovered. The two agents are freeing everyone else.

"He hurt her" I growl, my grip tightening on Derakus' throat. He tried to kill Five. She could be dying thanks to him.

"I know, but we need him" Marina says. "Five would use him for information as well" she tries to persuade me. I snarl and then throw him down to the ground where he lies there, breathing quickly.

Marina bends down and presses her hand to his forehead, closing her own eyes. Clearly her legacies have come back too.

"She'll be ok" I turn to see Sandor there, looking at me concerned. I look away, my fists clenched.

"It was a bullet to the head, Sandor. She can't survive that" I say, the truth really hitting me. Even if she does, she'll still be in a coma. She's lost forever.

"There's always hope" Henri says, looking at me concerned. I laugh angrily as Marina stands up, nodding at me. She's got everything.

"Yeah, sure there is" I mutter, when there's a gunshot. I hear someone scream, I think it's Ella, just as the bullet hits my chest. I stagger back at the force but don't feel any pain. Instead, I watch incredulously as the bullet falls to the floor. The only sign that I've been shot is the hole in my shirt.

"Your invulnerability, it's come" Sandor whispers in awe. I grin as Derakus crawls away, his face tight with fear as he lets go of his gun. I lope over with the confidence of someone who knows they can't be hurt. I reach him and grab him, lifting him in the air.

"This is for her" I whisper low in his ear as I begin to crush his neck.

Soon, there's nothing left but ash.

Xxx

Six

John paces around the room, his face scrunched up in frustration and fear. I sigh but don't get up to comfort him; I wouldn't know what to say.

Truth is, we're hopelessly outnumbered. John and I can't take on a whole mog army whilst the others have been captured. The Chimaera are good, but not trained fully and they're too reckless sometimes.

"What do you think we should do Six?" John asks, nervously. I sigh again and shrug, leaning against the wall by the bed. We're in a small motel an hour or two away from our destroyed house.

"I honestly don't know" I reply, biting my lip. "We need to save them obviously but we have no idea where they are" John nods slowly.

"Or if they'll be alive much longer" he adds. Some of the chimaera whine and I can't help but smile sadly. We've grown attached to our 'pets'.

"We need to find out where they've been taken first" I decide but John shakes his head.

"With what? They've got our chests" he says. I nod and then think some more.

"We can try to contact Ella" I begin but again, John shakes his head.

"She'll have been drugged" he says. I groan and glare at him.

"Well, let's just give up, shall we?!" I demand, annoyed by his negative attitude. He glares back at me and then softens, sitting next to me.

"I'm sorry... but I honestly can't see a solution this time" he says. I nod and frown, putting my head in my hands.

"What do we do?" I ask. John opens his mouth to answer, when the door breaks down.

I react at once, lunging for my sword. John yelps as gas forms in the room, choking us. I can't see a thing and stumble around, my sense becoming foggy.

"Don't kill us! We're friends!" I hear someone shout, as my arms are grabbed and pulled behind my back. I try to fight back but my head is whirling from the gas. I can feel myself being dragged through the motel but I can't see; my eyes are streaming with tears from pain.

I'm shoved into a van and I can feel something crawl around my legs. The Chimaera. Why didn't they fight back?

I can hear John nearby as he tries to talk without coughing. Despair fills me; this is it for the Loric. We've all been captured; we're dead.

"Look, don't fight. We need to talk" I look up to see an agent settling opposite me, his gun gone. He smiles at me, trying to be friendly but I don't trust him.

"About what?" I snarl, clenching my fists. It's then that I notice I'm not handcuffed and I haven't been drugged. What are they playing at?

"We need your help. The Government" he explains. John laughs bitterly next to me, glaring at the man viciously.

"Oh, so you've seen the light?" he asks sarcastically. The man sighs but nods, grinning ruefully.

"We need your help. The Mogs will take over Earth and destroy the human race" he says, looking more serious now. I look over at John, not sure what to think. They haven't drugged us or handcuffed us and they don't have guns on them. This isn't normal behaviour.

"We'll take you to the others. We have a team in Chicago trying to save them" he begins. I perk up at that bit of information.

"Chicago?" I ask. The agent nods, his eyes truthful.

"There's an underground base near Chicago. It was built there because the city's so big, no one would notice the strange things happening" he says. I nod, starting to believe him.

"Why should we trust you?" I ask. He shrugs and sighs, leaning back in his seat. I can see John is as convinced as me. We don't trust them, but they'll take us to the others. Then we can turn on them.

"Because we need you as much as you need us" he says. I sigh and then nod.

"Fine. Take us to the others" I say. The agent grins and taps on the window to the drivers' seat, relieved by our change of heart.

John looks at me nervously, whispering to me under his breath so that no one else can hear us.

"Do you trust them?" he asks. I look at him seriously and then whisper even quieter.

"Never"

Xxx

Five

I'm floating.

I'm drifting through the clouds, or something that's a lot like them. I can't feel any pain or happiness or anything... I feel nothing.

"Hello?" I call but my voice sounds weird. Sort of dreamy and quiet. It unsettles me but I don't think anything of it.

"Five!" I turn but I can't see anyone. I'm starting to get creeped out and I reach automatically for my knives. They're not there and I feel more defenceless than ever before.

"Five" I hear someone call again and I turn once more. I turn to see a girl of around 18 with slightly tanned skin and blonde hair. I lash out automatically with a punch but my fist goes straight through her. She rolls her eyes and raises her eyebrow.

"Nice to meet you too, Five" she mutters. I glare at her; she's annoying me.

"Where am I? Who are you?" I ask. She grins and stretches her arms out, completely relaxed. She seems to be enjoying my frustration.

"Where are we... hm, i'm not quite sure" she teases me. I groan and turn away, determined to find my own way out of here.

"Where are you going? It's the same everywhere" she calls, her voice more serious. I huff and turn around to glare at her.

"I don't care. I'll find a way out!" I reply. A strange look crosses her face and she looks sad, vulnerable. Who the hell is she?!

"Maybe that's why you survived... you don't give up" she whispers. I look at her closely. I recognise her but I don't know where from.

"Who are you?" I ask, shifting slightly into defensive mode. I may not have my knives but I can still fight. She looks at me nervously; clearly she can't fight as well as I can. Good.

"Don't you know? Don't you remember me?" she asks, her face forlorn. Realisation hits me and I take a step back in shock.

"Number One?" I ask in shock.

She nods.

* * *

Sorry, there was a lot of POVs going on there... though that's probably not what I shoud be apologising about... :D

So, please review!


	58. Chapter 58

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...

Hi guys!

Thank you all so much for the reviews! Only three more chapters to go and 874 reviews. Do you think we'll make 1000? It's up to you guys :D thank you!

Secondly, my computer is really dying at the moment and I'm planning on getting one within the next couple of weeks. Hopefully, I'll be able to transfer all my documents across before then, but should worst come to worst, my dead computer will be the reason for late updates. Just a warning.

So, has anyone read the Forgotten Ones? PM or review if you have! I _loved _it, despite the fact that it completely discredits my story now!

So, read on!

* * *

Five

We sit on a sort of cloud hill, staring off into the distance... which is more cloud shit. My elbows are resting on my knees as we sit in silence, not sure what to say. We haven't said much since I found out she was One. I'm not sure what to say.

"Where are we?" I ask, sighing deeply. She shifts a little, her face focusing more.

"Hell" she says, that grin on her face giving her sarcasm away. I'm not quite sure to make of her; she seems confident on the outside but occasionally she falters and reveals a girl in deep pain.

"Be serious" I say, turning away from her. She sighs and shrugs, her face miserable again.

"I have no idea. After I left Adam, I came here. I've been here ever since" she says, her voice breaking on Adam's name. I glance at her narrowly but shrug off her behaviour. She's just lonely.

"Thanks... for what you did to Adam... we couldn't have done much without him" I say, referring to her turning him to our cause. She smiles, her face the happiest I've ever seen it.

"How is he?" she asks. I shrug, not liking the tender look on her face. Does she _like_ him?

"He's ok... why do you care?" I ask, suspiciously. He's _my_ friend, not hers. She shakes her head at my glare.

"Why do you think, idiot?" she mutters. I begin to protest at that last comment but she interrupts me as she so often does. "_Anyway, _the question isn't where we are, it's how we get out" she says.

I huff as I cross my arms; it's not often I find someone more annoying than me. Or sarcastic for that matter.

"Ok then ma'am, how do we get out of here?" I say. She frowns at my mocking use of 'ma'am' but she continues on.

"_I_ can't. Well, unless you do the impossible and beat the shit out of Setrakus Ra as well as awaking sleeping beauty" she says, making me grin a little. She sort of reminds me of Nine. "But _you_ can" she says. I nod slowly; I sort of got the idea that i'm not really alive but not really dead.

"How?" I ask. She shrugs with a bitter smile.

"If your body doesn't die, then you won't" she says. I groan and put my head in my hands.

"But I have no control over that!" I protest. Getting over a pretty lethal gunshot wound will not be easy. She laughs angrily and nods.

"I know! Sucks right?" she says, her face dark and sort of scary. I fight back tears as I think of everyone I left behind, especially Nine. I can't leave him.

"I don't want to die" I whisper. One laughs bitterly as she gets up.

"You don't have a choice over it"

Xxx

Eight

Nine is scaring me.

He is literally ripping through the mogs with his bare hands, his face a cold blank mask. We haven't encountered many mogs, just the normal ones on patrol, but Nine soon makes sure they'll never breathe again.

"Stop it" the female agent commands, as Nine prepares to run down another corridor where there are other mogs. "We need to go this way and seize the control room" she says.

Nine spins on his heel and grabs her by the neck, pinning her to the wall. The male agent quickly places his gun to the back of Nine's head, unlocking the safety. I rush forward at once, grabbing him in a headlock so he can't hurt Nine. Loric above all else.

"We can't trust you!" Nine growls, glaring viciously at the woman.

"Stop it!" I hear Marina call. She stands next to me, grabbing my arm. "We_ can_ trust them" she says, looking earnestly into my eyes.

Nine snarls and laughs at the same time, reinforcing my fear of him right now. He tightens his hold on the poor agent and she looks like she's about to faint with fear and lack of breath. I focus in on Marina and see how convinced she is that we can trust them. She must have read their minds and seen the truth.

I let go of my agent, pushing him away from me. I grab Nine's arm and drag him away from the agent who collapses on the floor, Marina moving towards her quickly. Nine lunges for me and lands a pretty nasty hit to my eye, making me crash to the floor. I jump up at once, trying to pull him into a headlock but he's pretty good.

We manage to land some good hits on each other when I feel my arm being dragged back. I stumble a little from the force and see Henri glaring at me, whilst Sandor is holding Nine back. He's snarling at me, the dead look in his eyes freaking me out a bit.

"Calm down!" Henri orders, shaking me a little even though I was being perfectly reasonable.

"She's dead" I look to see Marina staring back at me stunned, her hands covered in blood from the woman's neck. Nine must have broken it.

"Good" Nine says angrily. I snap again, shoving my way out of Henri's grasp.

"Good?! You just killed an ally and all you can say is 'good'!" I demand, my voice shaking in pure anger. Ella can sense the coming fight and jumps up between us, her small hands pressed against our chests.

"No! Not now! We need to get out of here!" she cries, her eyes begging with Nine. Finally, something seems to click with him and he looks away, guilt replacing the pure hate. The male agent is looking at the female as though he can't believe she's gone. I go over and place my hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry" I say truthfully. He turns around and glares at me spitefully.

"I'm only helping you for her!" he hisses, turning away and marching down another corridor. "This way!" he yells, not even looking back at the body.

The others, including Nine, run after him at once but I hang back, feeling horrible. Could I have done anything? I look back at the woman and guilt fills me; she was only trying to help us.

"It wasn't your fault" I look and see Marina next to me, the blood still on her hands. I suppose she won't notice that in the next hours to come. "You were just helping" she says.

I sigh and look away. "Then why do I feel bad?" I ask. She sighs and clutches my hand as we race down the hallway.

"Because you're only human" she says wryly. I can't help but laugh bitterly.

We continue down the long corridor, not seeing any mogs. I'm beginning to think things are looking up for us as we all race towards a pair of doors. Nine jumps forward and kicks down the doors, a wild grin on his face.

I hear someone scream and then an explosion rocks through the corridor. Fire races towards us as debris showers around us. I have a split second to react and I grab Marina and Ella, throwing my body over theirs.

I can feel the fire stream over me as bits of wood and metal hits my back. Ella is screaming and I can feel Marina's body shaking underneath. The fire stops and I crawl off them, groaning from the hideous blisters on my back.

"Here let me" I realise I'm crying from pain as Marina pulls the remains of my shirt off and placing her hands on my back. She's shaking hard and I see a long splinter wedged in her shoulder. Ella's covered in ash and blood and I notice she's burned as well.

I groan from relief as the pain vanishes but my body continues to shake in shock. I look down the hallway to see where the others are but I can't see them. I can, however, see a huge hole in the floor where they were standing.

"Eight" I turn to see Marina almost white with pain as she tries to tug out the splinter. I understand at once and grimace in horror as I grab hold of it. She whimpers but grits her teeth as I tug it out. She cries out sharply but places her hand on the wound, whilst her other goes to Ella, helping her out too.

"Where did the others go?" I ask, peering over to the hole. Just then, two flaps come up and slam where the hole was.

"A trapdoor" Marina says. I furrow my brow in confusion.

"Wasn't the fire supposed to kill us?" I ask. Marina looks at me, her eyes haunted.

"This is a game for them... a lethal maze"

Xxx

Five

"Sooooo, have you had sex with him?"

I blush at once and turn to One, who grins at me cheekily. She's stretched out like she's royalty, with her hands propped behind her head.

"What?!" I demand. I've never mentioned the fact that I'm dating Nine to her; she's too interested in what Adam's doing for some reason. Every single conversation goes back to him and it's quite annoying.

"The guy you're thinking about _all_ the time" she says, her voice drawing out the word 'all'. She likes to exaggerate.

"No, I haven't slept with him" I whisper in embarrassment. Why is she so damn annoying?!

"Ugh, you're no fun" One says, flipping her hair back as she sits up. "Just sleep with him... you never know, you could be dead before you get the chance" she says. I roll my eyes and glare at her.

"How would I sleep with him when I'm about to die?!" I demand angrily. She simply grins and shrugs.

"He might be into sleeping with dead girls" she says, grinning at me. I scowl at her in return as I stand up, crossing my arms.

"You're sick!" I hiss angrily. She shrugs as I strop away, seeming pretty relaxed.

"I get bored! Of course I'll think about weird stuff" she calls back. I look away, tears building in my eyes as I think of Nine. What is he doing right now? Is he still stuck in that chamber? Is my body still there, fighting to the last minute?

"So which number is he? Four?" she asks. She hasn't really heard anything about the others; like I said, she's a bit obsessed with Adam.

"No, Four's with Six" I say softly. She shrugs and grins.

"Seven? Eight? Nine? Or is he human?" she asks. My heart thuds at the last number and I turn away, glaring at her viciously as I clench my fists.

"Just leave me alone!" I shout, making her flinch. Finally, I've managed to crack her hard shell.

"What's your problem? Missing him?" she calls mockingly. I flinch myself, hating her intensely right now.

"They're in trouble and could die and I can't do anything! You have no idea how hard that is!"I yell, my voice cracking. I turn away as I feel tears slip down my cheeks. She turns serious at once.

"I understand, Five. You have no idea how much I understand"

Xxx

John

"Well don't you look fetching"

I glare at the agent who's _trying_ to be funny as I stand in my new uniform. I've shaved my head much to my disgust but I have to say, I don't look a thing like me. Six has died her hair a horrible blonde colour and has cut it so it's cropped around her head. She's scowling as much as I am.

"This better work" she mutters, slipping on her new FBI vest. I nod, not even wanting to attempt to be happy. The agent, Mike, simply grins at us.

"Don't worry, it will" he says. He passes us both a gun and I take it, fastening it to my belt. I look in the mirror and suddenly notice just how much I've changed. I'm no longer a kid, but an adult.

I wish the Chimaera could come in with us, but apparently, this base is filtered with a poisonous gas for animals like the one in West Virginia. Which sucks seeing as they would literally tear this place apart.

"Ok, let's run through this" Mike says, nodding at us to sit down. I do so, taking a hold of Six's hand. She grins at me confidently; she's eager to fight.

"Our aim is to get to the control room. We'll, hopefully, meet the others there and then we can ambush the base from there" he says. I frown; there are a lot of holes in that plan.

"And if the others aren't there?" I ask. Mike grins cheerfully.

"Then we're screwed" he says. Six rolls her eyes, annoyed by the lack of security or back-up plan. We're basing this whole thing on hoping the others are there.

"Ok, we're here" the driver of the van says into our earpieces. I nod and take a deep breath, pretending to look bored as most agents do.

Our van quickly manages to make our way through the security gates of the base; we looked pretty damn convincing. Six is grinning with anticipation next to me but I'm sick to my stomach with nerves. I hope everyone's ok.

We quickly leave the van and begin our walk to the control room, our hearts pounding. I'm so tense that I feel like I'm about to break my own bones. Despite the fact that I fit in perfectly here and don't receive any strange looks, I'm still horribly self-conscious. God, I hope this works.

We finally reach the control room but the doors are locked. I'm prepared to use telekinesis to open them when Mike suddenly turns to us, his face white in horror. He drops the communicator he was listening to and I watch as it smashes on the ground.

"We have a problem... they've activated the attack mode for the base" he says. I look at him in worry and confusion.

"What does that mean?" Six demands, grabbing him by his shirt. I don't bother to help Mike.

"It's like a massive trap. They'll be ambushes all over the base, waiting to kill the others" he explains. I groan, punching a wall. Six lets go of Mike, swearing under her breath.

"Is there anything we can do?" she demands. Mike hesitates and then goes over to one of the many screens, showing waiting traps.

"You can try to disable some of the traps" Mike says slowly. I draw up a chair quickly, Six joining me.

"We better begin" I say, my fingers flying over a keyboard.

Xxx

Sandor

I groan as I feel something dripping onto my face. I try to move my arm to wipe it away, but it doesn't seem to be working. I can hear moans around me but I can't be bothered to see who it is.

"Sandor?" I groan again as someone shakes me roughly. I try to bat them away but the grip is persistent.

"Go away" I moan. I hear someone chuckle darkly as I'm shaken again.

"You've gotta get up, man" I recognise the voice to be Nine's. There's concern in his voice and I know I can't be in a good way. I need to get up for him; he can't lose both Five and then me.

I open my eyes, wincing at the piercing light. Nine is hovering over me, a relieved smile on his face when he realises that I'm awake. I sit up shakily, wiping the water than was on my face. We're in this basement place, a pipe above my head with water leaking through. I can see the others scattered around, except for Marina, Eight and Ella.

"Where are we?" I ask as Nine grips my arm, helping me stand. Henri is getting up as well, helping Crayton. The male agent is down and looks as though he's dead. Two is feeling his pulse and then shakes her head sadly.

"He's dead" she whispers. Three goes over and helps her stand, taking a hold of her hand. I look around with a groan; there's no door.

"How the hell do we get out?" I say. Nine shrugs and then goes over to a wall, punching it. It caves in a little, not prepared for his strength.

"I could punch the wall down" he offers, looking back with a grin. I shrug and look at Henri who sighs.

"We need you to save your strength-" he begins when there's a flash of light and part of the wall burns down. I drop to the floor as more fire burns the wall, the heat unbearable.

"Hey guys, need some help?" I look up to see Eight and the other two grinning at us. Nine whoops as he jumps through the huge hole, peering down the corridor beyond. I slowly get to my feet and get through the hole, helped a little by Eight. I'm really not in the mood to fight.

"This way!" Nine yells as we race down the hallway.

Xxx

John

There's a permanent scowl on my face as I type quickly, disabling every possible trap that could kill the others. There was a vicious net that would have shred Three to pieces if not for Six and her fast thinking. Mike's been doing just as well and saved Marina from an acid shower.

They're getting close to us and they know it. I've been communicating with Ella and telling her where we are and how close they are. I can see Nine speed up as they round the corner to us and I quickly disable the huge drone that would have killed him.

The doors burst open and they pile in, all breathing heavily and sweating. Mike quickly sets the control room into lockdown mode; only we can get in and out of this room. There's an emergency exit which we'll use.

"Where's Five?!" Six demands as her eyes wash over everyone. I freeze and my eyes meet Nine's who look back at me glumly.

"As good as dead" he says. I sigh and then reach out, grabbing his arm.

"We haven't had a scar... we can't leave her here" I try to persuade him. He turns to me at once, anger on his face.

"She got shot in the head! She's going to die! I don't want to end up like her!" he yells, his control snapping. Six gets in between us, shoving us apart. Nine glares but doesn't resist.

"We need to go... now! I'm sorry about Five, I really am, but we have to leave!" she says. I sigh but then nod, pressing a couple of buttons on the desk so that the emergency exit is displayed.

"Let's go"

It's like New Mexico all over again. Nine is a beast, ripping through the mogs with no ounce of sympathy whilst Eight and Six are just as good. I'm filled with power, not exhausted despite all the exertion I'm doing. My body is covered in flames as I race down the hall, destroying mogs with my mere presence.

We're almost at the exit when I see someone being dragged along on the ground, bloody and half-dead. Adam.

Our reaction is instant and deadly. Nine is on the mogs who had a hold of Adam whilst Marina bends down, her hands on his body as she tries to heal him. I lunge forward, an immense power taking over me. I can feel something running through my body and I let it take control.

I'm shocked when I see the mogs in front of me turning grey, their faces becoming bloated. I stare at them hard and they begin to crumble, almost like rock. I realise with a shock that this is another legacy; the ability to kill without touching them. I can feel myself turning their organs into decay and it's exhilarating.

Nine whoops as they explode into ash, killed by my glare. The others stare at me terrified but I ignore them; they're not important right now. Getting out, is.

Using my new legacy, we're able to get to the exit, all of us fighting our very best. Nine and Eight are like wrecking balls, pounding the mogs into oblivion (Rise of Nine reference :D ) whilst Six is just as good but in a more elegant, sophisticated way. Marina is brave and pretty deadly whilst Ella and the other younger Garde are doing their absolute best. And my legacy is not only lethal but easy to use.

"Stop!"

I turn at once to see more agents running towards us. These ones look much more official than Mike, who we've lost during the chaos. Six is on them at once, her sword under one of their chins. Nine has another one in a headlock whilst Eight looks ready to secure one or two.

"Please, we need to talk" one of the agents says. I shake my head; I don't trust them after everything they've done.

"Go to hell!" Nine hisses. Marina bites her lip uncertainly but I don't ask her opinion just yet.

"We have Five!" one says.

Nine reacts at once, grabbing him by the neck and squeezing. Marina jumps forward to stop him and grabs his arm, shaking him. Nine must be so far gone in his anger and fear for Five because he slaps Marina and she tumbles to the ground. Eight teleports over, standing over her and holding Nine in a headlock.

"Stop, all of you!" Henri yells. Six helps Marina stand who watches Nine warily. Eight looks pissed but he lets Nine go.

"How is Five?" I ask, concerned for my friend. One agent sighs.

"She's alive but we don't know for how much longer" he says. I nod, looking at the others.

"We have to go" I say slowly. "They helped Six and I get here"

Nine sighs and then very uncertainly nods.

Xxx

One

She's pacing everywhere, a scowl on her face. I remember her from the ship; she was just as miserable back then.

"Seriously, you might wear through the ground!" I complain, lying back down again. I wish there was sun here... and a beach. Then I could sunbathe.

"It helps me relax" she mutters, her arms crossed. I snort as I stretch my arms out next to me.

"I know better ways" I say, winking at her. She can't help but roll her eyes, as she sits down next to me.

"I hate waiting" she says with a sigh. I sit up and cross my arms.

"Really? I would never have guessed" I say sarcastically. She grins and lies back down, her eyes not meeting mine. She's silent, probably thinking over everything to do with the war. I bite my lip as I turn serious.

"Do you think the others can win without us?" I ask slowly. Five sighs and then turns to me, her eyes sad.

"No"

* * *

So, I hope you enjoyed. I'm sorry that the chapters are getting shorter but they'll be much longer in my next story.

Also, we'll see a lot more from One's POV later; this was just a small starter.

Please review!


	59. Chapter 59

Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...

Hi guys!

Thank you all sooooo much for your lovely reviews! They mean so much to me and have really helped me write this story.

This chapter is even shorter but that's because things are drawing to a close. I've already written the next couple of chapters for the new story 'The Revenge of Ten' and already, the chapters are much longer.

Also, I will now be updating regularly every three days. I'm back from my holiday and will now be at home for the next month. Which means more updates!

So read on and I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Marina

It's cold in here.

That's the very first thought I have as we enter the meeting room. Not how grand and grim it is but how cold it is. I'm still wearing my pyjamas from the night we were kidnapped and I rub my arms, hoping the friction will warm them up.

"Here" I look over to see an agent hand me his jacket. I hesitate but take it since I am really quite cold. Eight looks at the agent suspiciously and I try not to roll my eyes.

"Take a seat" says an official-looking man wearing a suit. There's a big round table in the middle of the room with chairs surrounding it. Sort of like Arthur's round table, I muse.

I draw up a chair, sitting next to Eight and Six. The others sit around, eyeing up the one exit. Maps cover the walls with little pins all over them. In the middle of the table, there's a jug of water with ten glasses. Not enough, I think absently.

"It's like an underground bunker" I whisper to Eight who grins despite the situation.

"What do you want with us?!" Nine demands, glaring angrily at the agents. I feel bad for him, despite him slapping me; he just wants Five back.

"We're on your side" the man says, trying to appear calm. His thoughts contradict him; he's terrified of us.

"Oh really? I would never have realised when you captured us, tortured us and killed some of our friends" Six says snarkily, glaring at the agents angrily. Eight and John nod along, just as angry.

"We never realised just how terrible the mogs were" the man tries to excuse himself. "But they've been killing US citizens, despite our agreement that they were innocent" the man says. Henri scoffs and rolls his eyes at Sandor who nods fiercely.

"Marina" the man turns to me and I stare at him confused. Why is he talking to me of all people? Eight glares at the man whilst Six jumps up and slams her hands on the table.

"Don't you dare do that! Don't try and guilt trip her!" she yells. The man tries to shrug placidly.

"I'm not... but I know she can read minds and she can sense the truth in mine" he says. Six bites her lip and sits heavily down. She knows she's lost... for now at least.

"Marina, is he telling the truth?" Crayton asks, looking at me seriously. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I need to concentrate properly for what they need me to do.

It's complete and utter violation what I'm doing. I invade the man's thoughts, meeting huge resistance from him. He doesn't like what I'm doing and neither do I but I have to do this. I rip aside his barriers and delve into his memories and thoughts, hating his panic.

I analyse every single memory connected to us. I have to be absolutely right about this; our whole race depends on this moment. Much to the man's relief, I skip his personal memories and only focus on ones connected to work.

I don't know how long I invade his memories and study every one. I hate every moment of it but it's necessary. _Stop_ I hear him say weakly in my mind but I have to continue. I get to the last memory, finally satisfied that he's telling the truth. I begin to withdraw when I come across another memory. Before I can move away from it, I'm immersed in it.

_"I hate you, Dad!" a young girl screams. Pain, that's all I can feel. Pain and grief and utter misery. I feel broken; my world's over..._

_NO!_ Something powerful hits my own mind and the force pushes me out of his mind.

I black out.

"Marina?" When I come to, I feel someone shaking my arm and I groan a little, my eyes fluttering open. I'm lying on the ground, people leaning over me. Eight and Ella's faces are directly above mine, theirs filled with concern.

"Wh-what happened?" Six asks as I sit up, helped by the others. I rub my forehead, completely shattered. I'm shaking because I've used far too much energy today.

"We can trust them" I say as I settle down in my chair again. The man whose mind I read is sitting shaking on the chair, his hands over his face. Guilt and self-hatred overcomes me and I reach out, touching his arm.

"I'm sorry" I whisper. He removes his hands, avoiding my gaze, before getting up and quickly leaving the room. Eight settles next to me, his eyes searching my face confused and concerned. I can't bring it in me to reassure him and I lean forward putting my head in my hands.

"So, we can trust you" Henri says, getting back to the topic. Another agent stands up, looking at me nervously. Ella sits next to me and takes my hand, understanding how much I hate myself right now.

I'm so tired.

"Yes. We need you to sign a treaty to never betray the other" the agent says, laying out a document in front of Henri. He sighs but begins to read, the others crowding around. I stay where I am, too exhausted to move.

"You ok?" I look up and nod to Eight who looks at me worried.

"I'm tired" I explain. He sighs and reaches out, taking my hand. His thumb strokes the back of my hand and I can't help but smile at how good it feels.

"It's done" I look up as Nine pushes the document towards the agents with a glare on his face. One of the agents swallows in fear. I lean back in my chair, looking forward to sleeping.

"Where will we go now?" Six asks, looking at the agents with mistrust. A woman steps forwards with a smile.

"We have a training base for our army near Washington DC. You can train there, separately from the army of course, and live there. We have secured a separate dormitory for you and your Cepans" she explains. I nod slowly, the others doing the same.

"And for now?" John asks, stifling a yawn. The woman smiles kindly.

"Well, we're still very close to the Mogadorian base outside of Chicago so we will move you all to the army base" she says. I want to groan in annoyance; can't I have a small sleep before that?

"And Five?" Ella asks quietly. Guilt flashes through me; I was more worried about my sleep than her!

"She is already at the army base" the woman says.

"What about the Chimaera?" Henri asks.

"We'll have to transport them separately but they'll be able to stay nearby. We'll have to build a special place for them" the woman says. I sigh and shrug, looking at the others.

"We might as well go... as long as we can sleep on the way" I say. The woman laughs and nods.

"Definitely"

Xxx

"Ok, maybe joining up with them wasn't such a bad idea" I murmur sleepily as I pull my blanket up higher. We're on a private jet to Washington DC, a _private jet!_ I'm in one of the ridiculously comfortable chairs that lean all the way back and I've just had the best sleep of my life.

"I agree, free chocolate and soda!" Six says, holding up a can in a toast. I giggle and snuggle down more in my chair, not wanting to leave.

"It won't all be fun and games. We still have to train" Nine points out from his seat, taking a long drink from his beer. Ella sticks her tongue out at him and he grins despite himself.

"Maybe we'll get massages at the training base" Six muses, a wicked grin on her face. I smile and nod, pretending to look dreamy.

"Oooh, maybe the soldiers will give them to us" I say, making her burst out laughing at the look on John's face. Eight grins and shakes his head, despite looking mildly jealous.

"If you want one, you should just ask" Nine says, winking suggestively at Six who chucks a pillow at him.

"We'll be there in ten minutes" Crayton announces as he passes our set of seats. I nod and snuggle down again in my chair, trying to get a bit more sleep.

"You can't go to sleep again, Marina!" Nine calls, trying to wind me up. I groan and use telekinesis to shove him.

"Leave her alone" Eight says, a grin evident in his voice. Nine huffs and mutters something about how nobody loves him. I smile as I settle down, happiness filling me.

We can do this. I know we can.

Xxx

Five

"Sooooo" One begins and I groan in annoyance. It's never a good sign when she's like this.

"Hey, lose the attitude" she says good-naturedly. I roll my eyes but grin at her all the same. We get on well now and I suppose if worse comes to worse and I have to stay here, she's not bad company.

"What's he like? Setrakus?" she asks curiously. I grin and roll over so I'm on my front and facing her.

"Ugly. Evil. Terrible hair" I say. One grins and raises her eyebrow.

"He has hair?" she asks. I nod, giggling a little.

"Long and blonde... kind of like yours" I tease. She gasps in mock anger and slaps my arm.

"Bitch, my hair's lovely!" she says, making me roll my eyes. "Go on"

"And his teeth are practically rotten. He's a true specimen of ugly" I say. One laughs and shakes her head, flashing me a winning smile.

"Nice to know the leader of the mogs is representative of the race" she says. I grin and shake my head at her.

"So, what's your boyfriend like?" she asks. Pain lances through me but I have this sudden need to talk about him. To tell someone something about him before I forget. I could be here for eternity or all I know.

"An idiot" I begin. One rolls her eyes and shrugs.

"All guys are" she says and we share a grin. She's pretty cool.

"He's a lot like you, sarcastic but has a heart... somewhere" I say. Talking about him is cheering me up. She laughs and sits up, crossing her legs fluidly. Yet again, another gorgeous Loric girl.

Although she's a dead Loric girl.

"Is he hot? In fact are the other guys hot?" she asks. I roll my eyes at her train of thought.

"What do you define as hot?" I tease.

"Hmm, muscles, decent face, dreamy..." she trails off looking at me expectantly. I roll my eyes for about the hundredth time and sigh.

"Well, then they're all hot" I say. She grins and rolls onto her back, probably imagining which one to take if we ever win the war.

"And all taken" I add. She groans and shakes her head sadly.

"Life's not fair" she says with a shake of her head. I nod slowly, agreeing completely with her.

"It never is"

Xxx

Nine

She's so small.

Her chest rises and falls slowly, only moving because of the machine next to her bed. She's pale under her tan and her usually pink cheeks have no life in them.

"Five?" I ask as though she'll just wake up and smile at me like nothing's happened.

I sit down with a sigh, taking her tiny little hand in mine. I never appreciated how small she is until now, when she looks so defenceless.

I know she's been healed by John and Marina but she's lying in a coma; no one knows when she'll wake up. _If_ she'll wake up. The damage was already done.

Her hand lies limply in mine and I realise how cold it is. I gently hold it between both of mine, rubbing her skin to make it warmer. I don't know why that's so important to me but it is.

"Hey Five?" I ask, gently stroking the back of her hand. "We've joined up with the US government" I say softly, deciding that she needs to know everything.

"We're in a small training base now, outside Washington DC. It's ok, we have our own space and stuff but it's not Chicago" I say, still holding her hand. I reach out and gently stroke a piece of hair away from her cheek; she always hated her hair getting it in the way.

"You'll want a haircut when you get up...You always hate it when it gets too long" I say sadly, wishing she were awake.

"Please just wake up" I beg.

Nothing.

* * *

So, sad scene at the end. I'm unsure as to whether I'll keep Five or not. What do you guys think? Should I kill her off or keep her?

Anyway, please review!


	60. Chapter 60 - Epilogue

Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lorien Legacies...

Hi guys!

The last chapter! I can't believe it! This is sooooo sad that we're going to have to say goodbye to this story! Thank you all so much for your support, reviews, constructive criticism... everything. It's meant the world to me.

**_The sequel, The Revenge of Ten, will be released next week. Firstly, I have no electricity on Friday which means no update. Secondly, I'm getting a new computer and all my files will need to be transferred over which will take me into next week. But I won't forget you and you should be getting a new story next Wednesday latest!_**

Please read on!

* * *

Five

I can hear the most annoying beeping, making my already bad headache that much worse. I can hear people talking, a low murmur in the background. I can hear my own breathing, steady and calm. I can hear the rain, pounding against the window.

I can feel the bed I'm lying in. I can feel the smooth, clean sheets against my arms and hands. I can feel my body lying down, not moving under the sheets.

I move my hand slightly, surprised at the reluctance to do so. My movement felt slow and lazy, like I've been out for a couple of days. I twitch my fingers slightly, moving it across the smooth sheets.

"Five?" I don't recognise the voice and I focus on someone I do know.

"One?" I ask slowly, my eyes still shut. I can't seem to open them. "What's going on, One?" I ask, fear in my voice. Something touches my hand.

"What's she talking about?" someone asks. It's not One and I panic. Where is she?!

"One!" I call, trying to sit up. Someone grabs me and I shriek, trying to struggle. Where am I?! I'm aware of the pounding pain in my head as someone tries to force me down onto the bed

"One!" I yell. She doesn't come; what's going on? Maybe she's not here... maybe I'm all alone. I'm still being forced back down and terror overcomes me. These are agents, I'm sure of it by their voices and by their fierce grip.

Am I in another base? Will I be tortured?

"Nine!" I yell in desperation. Maybe he'll be nearby, wherever I am. "Nine!"

"What are you doing?!" the hands that were roughly forcing me back down are ripped off and I'm pulled into a pair of strong arms, ones that I know at once.

"Shhh, everything's ok, Five. I promise" Nine's here and he's holding me and I'm safe. I begin to cry, sobbing into his chest as he strokes my hair.

He's here.

"What were you doing?!" I hear him demand as I tremble in his arms. My head is pounding with pain and I hear him sigh as I weakly cry against his chest.

"I told you to be careful when she woke up" he says, his grip on me still tight. Someone says something and he sighs again.

"Go on then" he mutters to someone. I can feel my arm pulled away from me and I try to move away but Nine kisses my forehead, reassuring me. If he says it's all right, then I have to trust him. I can feel something being injected into my arm as Nine still holds me close.

I'm out in seconds.

Xxx

When I wake up again, I feel much better. Much calmer and more collected. I'm alive and in a hospital somewhere. Best of all, Nine's here. I can't see him but I know he'll be here.

"You took your time to wake up" someone says, I think it's John.

I try to open my mouth to talk but it's like a desert, too dry. Instead, I open my eyes, needing to see Nine's face. My eyelids flutter as I try to fight the light shining down on me. It takes a while for me to focus but eventually my eyes remain open, despite the pain that causes me.

"She's awake" I hear Nine say, relief plain in his voice. I open my mouth to speak but all that comes out is a dry croak. Nine smiles gently as he stands by my bed and grabs a glass of water.

"Here" he says, holding it to my lips, whilst his other hand holds my head up. I take some small sips, immediately feeling better. I see John in the background, smiling at me.

"Hey Five" he says. I lean back wearily into the pillows, my weakness shocking me.

"Hey" I reply, my voice quiet. Nine grins and drags a chair up, holding one of my hands in both of his, warming mine up. His affectionate face is all that I can really focus on at the moment.

"You're awake" he says again, his face almost shining in happiness. I smile at him, weakly squeezing his hand whilst John slips out of the room.

"Where are we?" I ask. Nine smiles and tenderly reaches out to brush some hair away from my face.

"The hospital here. We're in a training base" he says. I furrow my brow in confusion.

"Training base?" I ask, fear replacing my relief at being alive. Are we still captured?

Nine sees my fear and quickly reaches out, brushing my cheek. "Shh, we're ok. The Government are with us now... Marina's checking constantly" he reassures me. I nod and sigh, weariness settling over me.

"I thought you were going to die" Nine confesses, his hands returning to mine. I smile and shrug very weakly.

"Sorry to disappoint" I say. Nine rolls his eyes and leans forward, kissing my forehead.

"You have no idea how worried I was... how much I've believed you wouldn't wake up" he admits. I squeeze his hands weakly, trying to fight off sleep.

"I would never leave you" I manage to say, my voice small. He grins and leans down, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"I know that now" he says, squeezing my hand. I'm filled with a happiness so complete, it's a wonder I don't burst. I can't believe that I'm alive and I made it.

And Nine's here.

"What happened to me?" I ask, the past events a big haze. Nine nods, pulling the covers higher on me after noticing my slight shiver.

"Well... the gunshot only grazed the side of your skull, so you weren't killed outright. You went into a coma but everyone thought you'd have huge brain damage. Marina and John have been healing you to get rid of it" he explains. I nod and then yawn, completely shattered.

"Why am I so tired... and in pain?" I ask. He shrugs, a gentle smile on his face.

"You're tired because you've been fighting to live and you have a bad headache because Marina and John only managed to heal the brain damage and partial bone damage... you still have a fractured skull" he says. I nod and then grimace at the stab of pain.

"I wish I could make it go away" he says. I smile at him and sigh.

"Don't worry... it will" I say, yawning again.

"What happened... when you first woke up? You kept talking about One" he says, looking at me uncertainly. I sigh and then reach out, brushing his cheek. I still can't believe I made it.

"I met her... One. We were together, waiting to come back. I didn't realise that I was alive again when I first woke up" I explain slowly. Nine's face is filled with questions but he bites his lip as I yawn again.

"She's not here, is she?" I ask. He slowly shakes his head, still utterly confused.

"Sleep... we can talk about that later" he says, smoothing my hair back. I bite my lip and then nod.

"You'll stay?" I ask uncertainly. Nine grins and nods, settling down comfortably in his chair.

"Always"

* * *

So, don't forget Revenge of Ten next Wednesday latest!

Please review and thank you for coming on this huge journey with me... (I'm starting to sound really stupid now :D )


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